By IBRAHAM KANOMA
Dry season rice farmers number up to 1,000 are to benefit from loan facility, to enhance rice production in Zamfara State, North West Nigeria.
This was announced by the Commissioner for Local Government, Alhaji Abubakar Dambo, while flagging off the distribution of forms to sole administrators of the 14 local governments in the state.
He said each local government was to receive 70 forms, while 90 would go to Gusau Local Government for distribution to farmers in their respective local government areas.
Abubakar Dambo further said the loan facility was secured through Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria, in collaboration with Central Bank of Nigeria to assist farmers in producing more food for the state and the nation.
He charged the council administrators to identify real and not political farmers as, according to him, the state government will not condole any act that would shortchange the real farmers.
The commissioner said each farmer would pay N20,000 to receive 250,000 worth items to be paid for by the government, on behalf of the farmers.
He called on the beneficiaries to ensure proper utilization of the facilities to be provided by the CBN.
