By Isaac Kertyo Makurdi
Beneficiaries of the five hundred million naira (N500, 000,000) Agricultural Value Chain Development Loan Scheme have been warned not to consider it as a national cake but as a loan facility.
The Governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom who handed down the warning at the government house Makurdi during the flag-off ceremony of the scheme enjoined them to utilize the funds judiciously to ameliorate their hardship.
He told the beneficiaries who are mostly civil servants and government appointees that it is a credit facility that must be paid with deductions from salaries. He averred that more efforts needed to be stepped up to enable Benue live up to the standard of being the food basket of the nation.
The Governor contended that every country of world Excel by utilizing its competitiveness and comparative advantage, averring that due to the constraint of capital, the state government created a special fund agreement between Government and Bank Of Industry (BOI) with an interest rate of 5 percent.
Also speaking, Commissioner for Industry, Trade and Investment, Barr Merga Kachina said disbursement of the funds was a clear attestation that the government is committed to boost agriculture and economic growth of the state.
Kachina assured that he would intensify efforts to ensure the actualization of the policies of the present government in that regard.
In his remarks, the state Manager, Bank Of Industry, Mr Boniface Awodi applauded the Benue State Government over the laudable projects it has embarked upon. He urged the beneficiaries of the loan to abide by the terms and conditions of the loan facility.
