Alhaji Aminu Mohammed, president of Bauchi state Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (BACCIMA) has expressed skepticism concerning the use of 21 billion naira from the federal government’s loanable amount allocated for farmers and business entrepreneurs in Bauchi.
He stated this yesterday while speaking with officials of the Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) led by Ahmed Mohammed on a courtesy visit in his office to inquire about the agricultural loans being provided to farmers.
According to him, “The federal government has been providing money to all CBN branches all over the federation to loan the money out to small scale and big time farmers, but that of Bauchi last year I was told when I became president of the chamber, I went to them to inquire, they said the sum of N21 billion was expended in the name of Bauchi.”
Alhaji Aminu Mohammed, who is also the traditional ruler of Dan-malikin Bauchi however argued that most of the loans provided were not collected by the Bauchi people.
“The beneficiaries came from elsewhere. There is collusion between the bankers because the money comes through the commercial banks, the CBN, and the business community.”
He further expressed displeasure in the mode of policy implementation saying, “I don’t know what is wrong with us Nigerians, Federal government policies irrespective of whoever was in charge, they are good, particularly for agriculture, what is bad is the implementation of those policies, and that is where you will hammer.”
Alhaji Aminu therefore urged potential beneficiaries of agricultural loans including the journalists to follow the appropriate procedure to obtain it, assuring them of the chamber’s support in the process, and emphasizing the chamber’s primary focus on promoting businesses in the country.
Alhaji Aminu expressed delight in the farmers’ willingness to diversify, stating its importance based on his experience.
“I am delighted to hear that you have taken serious steps to diversify. It is indeed good to diversify. If I had not diversified areas of work, maybe we wouldn’t have been sitting here. So you have made a good decision.
“Whatever you are doing, get a second alternative particularly the one that will bring fortune for you because the situation as it is in Nigeria today, salary alone will not work, you have to get other means of survival.”
