FG Advices Farmers Not to Pay to Access Loans, As Agric University VC Goes Hiding

     The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD) has warned farmers to disregard fraudsters requesting money from them so as to get access to agricultural loans. In a statement signed by the Director of information, he further stated that the ministry had not asked any person or group of persons to open any account with either the Agricultural Development Bank or Bank of Agriculture for the purpose of obtaining loans from FMARD, nor has it. 

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asked anyone to collect money from people for the same purpose. “This Day News Paper reports”

The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD) on Saturday cautioned Nigerian farmers and associations not to pay any money to persons or group for the purpose of accessing agricultural loans. The advice came against the backdrop of reports which quoted the APC Secretary (Bayelsa State) as alleging that fraudsters had duped unsuspecting members of the public of various sums of money with the promise to help them obtain loans from the FMARD. The ministry, in a statement signed by Director of Information, FMARD, Mr. Tony Ohaeri maintained that the ministry had not asked any person or group of persons to open any account with either the Agricultural Development Bank or Bank of Agriculture for the purpose of obtaining loans from FMARD, nor has it asked anyone to collect money from people for the same purpose. It therefore, urged the general public and farmers to ignore the seemingly attractive proposals from fraudulent and unpatriotic individuals who may be going around deceiving farmers and prospective farmers. The statement further advised Nigerians to report any person or group of persons to relevant security agencies. “The ministry reassures Nigerians that the Federal Government would continue to create the necessary conditions and environment for the development of the agricultural sector,” it added. Meanwhile;

 AGRIC UNIVERSITY VC HAS GONE INTO HIDING AS STAFF EMBARK ON PROTEST OVER WELFARE

     The Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Ogun State, Olusola

Oyewole, has been forced to relocate from his official quarters following a protest embarked upon by non-academic staff of the institution. The protest, which began on Tuesday, has paralysed activities in the institution. The staff, under the aegis of Non-Academic Staff

Union, accused Mr. Oyewole, a professor, of maladministration and insensitivity to their welfare. Numbering over 100, the protesters accused the vice chancellor of refusing to approve allowances for them as he did for the academic staff. They also alleged that the vice chancellor imposed some academic staff as leaders of their union. The aggrieved protesters lamented that all the meetings held with Mr. Oyewole to resolve the issues failed because the vice chancellor refused to address their plight. It was gathered that the protest, though peaceful, forced the management of the institution to hurriedly convene a meeting with the union. The meeting, which lasted several hours, however ended in a deadlock. PREMIUM TIMES’ sources said the leaders of the union stormed the venue of the meeting to address their colleagues and also requested them to mobilize other members with a view to continuing with the protest. It was at that point that Mr. Oyewole, who could no longer contain the action of the union temporarily relocated from the official quarters located inside the university campus to an unknown abode. When contacted, the spokesperson of FUNNAB, Emi Alawode, said she would send reaction to this newspaper but did not keep the promise at the time of filing this report.