Anambra HoA To Probe Shoddy Application of N1.5bn CBN Agric Loan
The Anambra House of Assembly has expressed displeasure over the disbursement of N1.5 billion Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Agriculture loan obtained by the state in 2020.
Mr Ebele Ejiofor, Chairman House Committee on Economic Planning , Sustainable Development Goals and Donor Agencies after leading his committee on an oversight tour of some project sites.
Ejiofor decried poor execution of work at 600 fish ponds, hostel blocks and Farm Houses in Aguleri and Adazi Nnukwu communities in Anambra East and Aniocha Local Government Areas respectively
The Lawmaker said the House of Assembly would invite Mr Nnamdi Onukwuba, Commissioner for Agriculture to explain how the N1.5 million loan was spent.
He threatened that the lawmakers may revoke the contracts due to the slow pace and quality of work done in the two communities visited.
He said the contracts Aguleri and Adazi Nnukwu included construction of a 50-bed capacity hotel in each of the communities, Farm Houses, Entrance Gates, Perimeter Fence, and generator house.
“In Adazi Nnukwu, only 150 fish ponds have been done and not project is not properly done,
“The 50 bed hotel in Aguleri is still at foundation, there is nothing to show that this amount of money has been released
“I think we will invite him to come and explain some of these things,” he said.
The CBN had in 2020 launched guidelines for the regulation of the Private Sector-Led Accelerated Agriculture Development Scheme (P-AADS), to boost staple food production, industrial raw materials, food security, job creation and economic diversification.
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Consequently, the Anambra government under Gov. Willie Obiano applied and collected N1.5 billion for fish and rice production in some local government areas across the three senatorial zones of the state.
