FG told to monitor, investigate agric. funds to states

The Federal Government has been advised to put a mechanism in place to monitor and investigate the disbursement and utilization of the agricultural funds given to states across the country.

Speaking in Lagos against the backdrop of the delay in implementing the programme, Chief Livinus Okwara, a stakeholder in the nation’s agric sector and computer expert, urged the President should set up an inter-ministerial body to monitor and investigate the management of the funds.

He said that, the programme if well implemented, could fast track backward and forward integration in the economy, and help to boost the nation’s economy.

Okwara described agriculture as long neglected, and needs immediate revival similar to the period from independence in 1960 up to the 1980’s, when the sector was Nigerian’s golden era in agriculture, through foreign exchange earnings, contributions to the Gross Domestic Product, GDP and employment, among other benefits.

He said it was unfortunate that the public has not been carried along by some of the governors on how the fund is being utilized, adding that the scheme which seeks to empower 4000 farmers in each state with N500, 000, 00 each, was capable of revolutionizing agriculture and move the country away from its over dependence on crude oil as the main foreign exchange earner.

Okwara, Chairman of Rimax Computers said with the avowed commitment of Buhari to be more committed to Nigeria, following his return from medical trip abroad, agriculture was capable of creating more jobs for millions of unemployed youths, particularly young graduates, tame anti-social behaviours, like armed robbery, kidnapping, abduction, advanced free frauds, etc. that have become rampant across the country; and urged states to key into the vision of the President by disbursing the funds immediately to the potential beneficiaries.

It would recalled that President Muhammadu Buhari has ordered Nigeria’s apex bank, Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, to disburse N2bn to each, as intervention fund, to the 36 states with a view to jumpstarting agriculture, empowering farmers and enhancing the sector’s value chain.

States like, Imo and Ogun are the current beneficiaries of the scheme, which is under the direct supervision of the Governor of the CBN, Mr. Godwin Emefiele.

Okwara, who is the Chairman of Rimax Computers said that “since the programme encourages each state to use the fund to develop its agricultural potential where it has comparative advantage, the governor of such states should swing into action now and mobilise the youths and other able-bodied people to participate and produce food for both domestic consumption and export.”

He warned that If care is not taken, the fund could be diverted by the governors for their pecuniary use, similar to the Paris Club’s refund, in which it was alleged that N500, 000.00.00 was diverted into a governor’s account, among other allegations of sleaze currently trailing the refund, whereas, the fund was expected to be expended on paying salary arrears and pension of civil servants and pensioners respectively, as ordered by the President.