Present govt has failed farmers, diverts loans to political farmers

By Ezurike Ugochukwu

The former Chairman, Poultry Association of Nigeria (PAN), Lagos State, Mr. Wale Ojo, has said that despite the elections  campaign promises of the present administration to aid real farmers, all turned but empty promises.

He stated that as a farmer who has majored in  poultry farming for over 20 years, that the present government has not done much in supporting the farmers contrary to the support they were getting before this administration came to power

“I am yet to see  anybody or members of the  different groups i belong who has benefited from any of the government’s financial supports.  Prior to this time, we have benefited from different types of interventions and support funds from government through the financial institutions. The support actually got to the farmers and we were able to achieve  a lots,” he said

Ojo however maintained that corruption  is prevalent and barefaced in the current administration, wonders how an administration that got into power on the shoulders of anti-corruption would be diverting funds meant for farmers.

The former PAN chairman who is also the Managing Director, Adewale Farm said the so called agricultural loans go to the ‘political farmers who  divert and eventually  embezzle such funds. He Called on government to provide  roads and other supports to farmers.

“If there are funds released from government to support the agricultural sector, non has reached the farmers, which I am aware of, except if government is making the funds available to the political farmers.

“Those briefcase farmers, who easily access funds meant for the real farmers in the country. I want to  believe that the present government will think inward, and directly assist the farmers, looking at the important role the sector plays in the growth of the economy.

On the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), various support to farmers, he advised them to partner with All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN) or other farmers group, without which there wouldn’t be any impact of such programs.

He restated that only  when the real farmers are captured, assessed and assisted, then would politicians who are not farmers, who have no single farmland  anywhere would be eased off the system.

Ojo  further took a swipe on the Bank of Agriculture(BOA), he said they are sentimental on their support to farmers, that their yardstick for choosing whom to support are defective and hypocritical.

He gave kudos to the microfinance banks against the commercial banks whom he said are not doing much to support farmers.

“On commercial banks, as an individual farmer, the microfinance banks are assisting farmers  more  in this country. If you approach the commercial banks, they will frustrate you, until you lose your interest in asking them for loan.

“For transparency, it is very important for the banks to  publish  how they have spent the money they claimed to have contributed to agriculture, for us to know If any Nigerian farmer has benefited from it, such individual or groups, should be known.

It’s time government take serious steps to confirm certain information in this country. When someone  comes up, that certain  amount of money has been contributed to the agricultural sector, Nigerians should know who are the beneficiaries. So that the issue of corruption will be minimal in our system.”

“If commercial banks do not want to take the risk in supporting the core farmers, they can support other areas  of farming that are less risk, like the agro suppliers , who supply seeds, feeds, equipment. It will go a long way to help the sector,”  he stated