Emmanuel Kehinde, ilorin
The Chairman of All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN) Stakeholders Commitee, Dr Tunde Arosanyin, has said that the stakeholders was meeting for the third time to reorganize the association at the national level to boost the food production in the country.
Arosanyin disclosed this while speaking with Daily Times, in Ilorin Kwara State Capital,on Friday.
He advise the government to emulate electronic wallet of President, African Development Bank, Akinkunmi Adesina when he was minister of agriculture, whose method ensured that subsidised fertilizer and seeds get to rural farmers as at when due.
He said that if the incentives such as fertilizer and seeds get to the real farmers or the grassroot farmers it will boost the food production as well as reduce the high cost of food in the country.
The Chairman commended the Minister of Agriculture, Mohammed Abubakar, for the steps he has taken since he assume duty in the last two months.
He said the minister has being going round the agricultural institutions nationwide to familiarize himself with challenges with intends to proffer solutions to the challenges which is a good development for the sector.
”The minister came up with a policy statement on the Bank of Agriculture in making effort to re-energise and re- invigorate the bank which will be a plus for him as a minister and to the present administration.
”Before now, the Bank of Agriculture has been moribund and there are clarion calls from various quarters to energize it by diverting shares to major plays like famers, cooperate farms and other agricultural value chain”, the Chairman said.
He added that about 70 per cent of loanable fund and subsidize fertilizer did not get to the targeted farmer but rather to the portfolio farmer, those who doesn’t really have agricultural quotation but they just write visibility report once there is fund for agro development to be in charge of the facility.
He urged the government to go back to the method they are using in the past by leaving space for chairman of AFAN to sign to certified that the person is a member on the credit loan form is really a farmer.
On the AFAN crises, the Chairman said there is no authentic body that has the mandate or locos standing to represent AFAN at the national level.
He said that the stakeholders are also rubbing minds with the board of trustee namely Abdullahi Nyako, Dr Setima Mustapha and Senator Abdullahi Adamu and they are giving consent to reposition the association.
He said further that the positions of the stakeholders on two faction of executives are very clear because they don’t have the constitutional right to represent AFAN.
” As a matter of fact Arch. Kabiru Ibrahim led executives was elected, inaugurated in Jigawa state in June 2014.
“I was opportune to be the secretary for the electoral committee that went round the state to conduct the election and our law is very explicit of five years of one single term.
”Under the law the tenure of the executive had expired since 2019.””
“There have been clarion calls since then to conduct election before the end of 2019 which he has declined to hold
“Unfortunately Covid-19 took over 2020 and he promised that as soon as covid-19 is over, election would be conducted; however after covid no election still.
“The second faction led by Mr Mudi Farouk also did not follow the constitution before they emerge and they cannot be recognised by AFAN
“Hopefully before the year runs out the stakeholders will make effort to put in place authentic executives that will represent the association at national level”, Chairman said.
He explained that in the last 5 years the association has missed true leadership and that is why were are putting heads together to repositioning the association at national level so that they will have strong mouth piece on hope to get what from governments.
