Leadership (Abuja)
Osa Okhomina
16 November 2009
Yenagoa — Political leaders and businessmen in Bayelsa State yesterday sent a Save-our-Soul to President Umaru Musa Yar'dua over the alleged exclusion of farmers and fishermen in the state from having access to the N200 billion agricultural loan facility provided by the Federal Government.
They warned that such exclusion could derail the development plan of the president for the Niger Delta region. The political leaders and businessmen, under the umbrella of the Yenagoa Chambers of Commerce Industry Mines and Agriculture (YCCIMA), said though numerous letters had been sent to the presidency, the supervising agriculture ministry and the state government, the exclusion of the farmers are being instigated by some commercial banks appointed for the disbursement of the fund. In a statement signed by the President and Deputy President of the YCCIMA, Chief Lionel Jonthan-Omo and Mr. Adouye Awere respectively, the aggrieved political leaders and businessmen said investigations conducted by the Chambers of Commerce and Industry had shown that some of the appointed banks engaged in alleged illegal activities and asked the President to intervene for proper investigation to be conducted.
The YCCIMA President, Chief Lionel Jonathan-Omo said the action of the banks and the continued denial of indigent farmers in the state is generating tension and called for action to prevent violent protest in the state capital. " We would not want the farmers in the state to stage a protest march. We have gathered that the minister of agriculture and water resources and the governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria are aware of the grievances of the farmers and did nothing to allow the legitimate business men to have access to a loan package approved by the Federal Government," he said.
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