In a bid to increase agricultural productivity in the state, Kogi State government has released a total equity contribution of N58.560 million to the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to be disbursed to 2,680 smallholder farmers under Anchor Borrowers Program for 2018.
This was disclosed recently by Oloruntoba Kehinde, the state Commissioner for Agriculture in Lokoja during a Stakeholders Consultative Meeting on state’s 2020 agricultural budget.
Kehinde disclosed that five percent equity fund released has made the CBN to authorise payment of N1 billion for the Anchor Borrowers Programme from which 2,680 Smallholders farmers benefitted.
He pointed out that under the Accelerated Agricultural Development Scheme of the government, 600 earthen ponds were constructed at Geregu, Idah, Ejiba and Adavi-Eba to empower 1,000 youths, saying that the Geregu project had kick start.
Represented by Emmanuel Idenyi, the permanent secretary of the ministry stated that out of the N500 million earmarked for agricultural mechanization in 2018, N377.2 million was paid for the additional 15 Massey Ferguson and 375 tractors procured last year as well as additional new equipment for repair of old tractors.
“This represents 75 per cent budget performance on the budget line item.
In a nutshell the overall performance of the Ministry of Agriculture capital budget from the budget estimate of N7.3 billion was at N544.3 million representing 7.4 per cent”, he said.
The commissioner also said there was tremendous improvement in the implementation of the budget in 2018, pointing out that cases of poor budget defence by various Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) and lack of participation of relevant stakeholders in the process was a setback.
The commissioner therefore called on government at all levels to make the budget process participatory to enable all stakeholders contribute meaningfully to the budget, and as well, present their budgets early to the Legislature for timely approval and implementation.
Earlier in her welcome address, Gift Omoniwa executive director, PICI said the purpose of the meeting was to raise awareness and sensitisation of citizens so for improved engagement and participation in the budgetary processes of the state.
The stakeholders also identified some of the challenges in the budget process and implementation such as non-attainment of Maputo declaration target of 10 per cent budgetary allocation to Agricultural sector, poor releases of budgeted funds and shoddy implementation.
In a related development, Matthias Okpanachi, chairman of the PFA Committee equally disclosed that the review of the 2018 budget performance revealed issues of poor releases and poor implementation as the bane of budget performance, adding that the forum aimed to curtail possible recurrence in the 2019 budget.
Isah Abdullah, representative of the State Ministry of Budget and Planning, harped on the need of citizens’ active involvement in the budget processes and promised that 2020 budget would be ready for presentation before October this year.
Victoria Nnakaike, Lokoja
