From Joseph Amedu, Lokoja
No fewer than 1500 farmers across Kogi West Senatorial district would benefit from a loan facilitated by an NGO, Doyin and Susan Foundation.
Chairperson, Board of Trustees (BoT) of the foundation, Mrs Adedoyin Ibikunle disclosed this during the verification exercise for intending beneficiaries at the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Lokoja on Friday.
Ibikunlle said that her NGO has facilitated loan to 1500 farmers in seven local government areas across Kogi west under the Federal Government intervention program called “Anchor Borrowers Programme (ABP)”.
“The loan facility ranges between N300, 000 to N900, 000 per farmer depending on the number of hectares of farm land each farmer has.
“I have put in all my efforts and deployed my available resources in collaboration with CBN to ensure these 1500 farmers access the loan this raining season.
“My NGO will also stand as collateral for the beneficiaries who must have fulfilled the required criteria and obligations by CBN to accessing the loan.
“The verification exercise today is for beneficiaries from Lokoja and Kogi/Kotonkarfe Local Government Areas, and subsequently for the remaining five LGAs in Kogi west.
“I have struggled my way to make sure I help farmers, and to also be a senatorial aspirant with a difference who has the people at heart.
“It will be better and greater than this when I become a senator,” Ibikunle said.
Ibikunle, who is one of the leading senatorial aspirants under the platform of APC in Kogi west, said that her NGO had distributed relief items including food stuff worth N12 million to about 2,500 less privileged people in the zone.
The senatorial aspirant added that the foundation had also offered free medical treatment for the vulnerable in the area in April, in collaboration with its US partners.
Some of the farmers in separate interviews, commended Mrs Ibikunle for the gesture, saying it was the first time they were enjoying such benefits in the history of the zone.
Mr Mohammed Nda, the loan Coordinator in Lokoja, said that the NGO was facilitating the loan to empower the youths and women particularly the farmers.
Abdulmumin Gata, Coordinator of Kotonkarfe LGA, said that 150 farmers who have a total of 500 hectares of farmland would benefit from loan in Kotonkarfe.
‘This initiative is for those who are real farmers and have at least one hectare of farm land and above.
“Farmers are facing lots of challenges in getting funds to buy fertilisers and other farm inputs and tools which are very difficult without access to loan.
Seidu Dauda, a farmer from Kotonkarfe, said “we don’t know how to thank this woman enough because in my life and community we have never witnessed this kind of gesture before.”
On her part, Kadiri Abibat, a woman farmer, said “we thank her very much and we will use the money very well, and we are assuring her of our votes”.
From Joseph Amedu, Lokoja
No fewer than 1500 farmers across Kogi West Senatorial district would benefit from a loan facilitated by an NGO, Doyin and Susan Foundation.
Chairperson, Board of Trustees (BoT) of the foundation, Mrs Adedoyin Ibikunle disclosed this during the verification exercise for intending beneficiaries at the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Lokoja on Friday.
Ibikunlle said that her NGO has facilitated loan to 1500 farmers in seven local government areas across Kogi west under the Federal Government intervention program called “Anchor Borrowers Programme (ABP)”.
“The loan facility ranges between N300, 000 to N900, 000 per farmer depending on the number of hectares of farm land each farmer has.
“I have put in all my efforts and deployed my available resources in collaboration with CBN to ensure these 1500 farmers access the loan this raining season.
“My NGO will also stand as collateral for the beneficiaries who must have fulfilled the required criteria and obligations by CBN to accessing the loan.
“The verification exercise today is for beneficiaries from Lokoja and Kogi/Kotonkarfe Local Government Areas, and subsequently for the remaining five LGAs in Kogi west.
“I have struggled my way to make sure I help farmers, and to also be a senatorial aspirant with a difference who has the people at heart.
“It will be better and greater than this when I become a senator,” Ibikunle said.
Ibikunle, who is one of the leading senatorial aspirants under the platform of APC in Kogi west, said that her NGO had distributed relief items including food stuff worth N12 million to about 2,500 less privileged people in the zone.
The senatorial aspirant added that the foundation had also offered free medical treatment for the vulnerable in the area in April, in collaboration with its US partners.
Some of the farmers in separate interviews, commended Mrs Ibikunle for the gesture, saying it was the first time they were enjoying such benefits in the history of the zone.
Mr Mohammed Nda, the loan Coordinator in Lokoja, said that the NGO was facilitating the loan to empower the youths and women particularly the farmers.
Abdulmumin Gata, Coordinator of Kotonkarfe LGA, said that 150 farmers who have a total of 500 hectares of farmland would benefit from loan in Kotonkarfe.
‘This initiative is for those who are real farmers and have at least one hectare of farm land and above.
“Farmers are facing lots of challenges in getting funds to buy fertilisers and other farm inputs and tools which are very difficult without access to loan.
Seidu Dauda, a farmer from Kotonkarfe, said “we don’t know how to thank this woman enough because in my life and community we have never witnessed this kind of gesture before.”
On her part, Kadiri Abibat, a woman farmer, said “we thank her very much and we will use the money very well, and we are assuring her of our votes”.
