From: Olanrewaju Lawal, Birnin-Kebbi

Youth farmers in Kebbi State, on Thursday, staged a peaceful protest across major streets in the state capital, to express their dismay over alleged irregularities and high rate of interests given to them under the Anchor Borrowers programme of Federal Government.

    The aggrieved farmers went round major roads such as Ahmadu Bello way and marched to the Government House where they had audience with Governor Abubakar Atiku Bagudu.

The leader of the farmers, Mallam Mamuda Abubukar expressed their grievances against the procedure on the issuance of loans scheme offered to Kebbi farmers under the Anchor Borrowers in the state.

  He explained that despite the fact that they went through all due processes laid down to get the loans, some of their members accounts were credited while others were not.

   Abubakar told the Governor that those of them whose accounts were credited were charged high interest rates on the loan they were yet to utilise, while others who did not receive credit alerts got the same treatment.

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   He also lamented high prices of farming implements to the farmers.

       While addressing the aggrieved farmers, Acting Permanent Secretary of Ministry of Agriculture, Alhaji Muhammad Lawal Shehu  Argungu, explained to the youths farmers that the non-payment of the previous loan to farmers was behind the present crop of farmers in the state.

Governor Bagudu, while addressing the farmers, expressed his happiness for coming to the Government House to express their grievances.

      He promised to ensure that they received the disbursement of the loans today Thursday and that he  would visit them to ensure that all the anomalies were corrected.