The House of Representatives has pledged to investigate allegations of embezzlement of over N2trillion released by the Central Bank of Nigeria through its Anchor Borrowers Scheme, under the regime of ex president Muhammadu Buhari.
Chike Okafor voiced out worries over the escalating food scarcity and malnutrition in the nation due to misappropriation of agricultural funds, he represented Ehime Mbano/Ihitte Uboma/Obowo Federal Constituency in Imo state. Okafor led a debate highlighting the importance of accountability in the management of agricultural funds which help in the development sector.
The programme was designed to fund agricultural initiatives nationwide and also boost food production and food security.Okafor, representing Ehime Mbano/Ihitte Uboma/Obowo Federal Constituency, Imo State, led the debate, highlighting the need for accountability in the management of agricultural funds to ensure the sector’s development.
The motion, captioned “Alleged mismanagement of government’s agricultural initiatives and funding by Departments, Agencies, and Government programmes outside the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security”, was debated on the floor of the House during Tuesday’s plenary session.
Okafor noted that the Federal Government, through various schemes and interventions in the last eight years have spent over N2tn in funding agricultural interventions with the view of making food available for millions of Nigerians, but due to the alleged mismanagement, misappropriation of funds and abuse of the programs, Nigeria still experiencing malnutrition and food scarcity.
House of representative is also aware of the reports and allegations of abuse, mismanagement, and misapplication of government intervention funds earmarked for agricultural development and food security initiatives in Nigeria through the Central Bank of Nigeria, through the Anchor Borrowers Program disbursed about N1.12 trillion to 4.67 million farmers involved in either maize, rice or wheat farming through 563 anchors.
“The Nigeria Incentive-Based Risk Sharing System for Agricultural Lending disbursed N215.067bn to facilitate agriculture and agri businesses.
“The Bank of Industry disbursed N3bn to 22,120 smallholder farmers through the Agriculture Value Chain Financing Programme. Additionally, the bank funded 49 agro and food processing businesses with N59.4 bn in loans.”
Okafor noted that the Federal Government had in 2023, unveiled a N5bn loan facility to the Bank of Agriculture for livestock farmers across the country.
“The National Agricultural Development Fund in March of 2024 inaugurated a N1.6bn Recovery Fund for the Ginger Blight Epidemics Central Taskforce for the control of Blight disease in Ginger, among other interventions.
“The House is also aware that funds advanced to end users of the Federal Government interventions were allegedly misused, misapplied and channelled to non-farming and non-agricultural purposes, hence the current acute scarcity of food.
“We are worried that the agricultural sector plays a crucial role in ensuring food security, improving nutrition, and supporting the livelihoods of millions of Nigerians, and any abuse of the programs and schemes of government drastically affects millions of innocent citizens.
“The House is cognizant of the need to investigate government agricultural interventions and funding allocated to departments, agencies, schemes and programmes outside the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security to ensure transparency, accountability, and effective resource utilisation.”
As a result, the House of Representatives directed the joint committees on Nutrition and Food Security, Agricultural Production and Services, Agricultural Colleges and Institutions, and Finance to conduct a thorough investigation into the alleged misuse of government interventions and agricultural funding by federal departments, agencies, schemes, and programs outside the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security.
The committees are tasked with submitting a comprehensive report within four weeks, which will inform further legislative actions.
