By Matthew Denis
The Agriculture and Allied Employees Union of Nigeria (AAEUN) has called on the Kwara State government to give civil servants access to the N1bn Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) agricultural loan so as to embark on farming activities.
The state Chairman of AAEUN, Comrade David Kayode Ehindero, who spoke to National Pilot in Ilorin on Tuesday, said to boost food production in the state, more people nned to embrace agriculture.
“”The loan should be extended to Kwara workers not as input but cash and land made available to them. By so doing government would have empowered the entire workers translating to empowering the entire Nigerians,” he added.
The union lauded the Speaker of the state House of Assembly, for encouraging lawmakers to go into farming.
“We receive with gladness the news that Kwara lawmakers have culrtivated 300 hectares of land in Ejidongari in Moro Local Area of the state. We are happy that the Lawmakers took advantage of the N1 billion loan granted by The Central Bank of Nigeria to the state government to embarked on this venture,” he stressed.
Ehindero, therefore, called on the lawmakers to apply for membership of available agric unions in the state in order to expand their scope in the sector.
“We want to encourage and enlist all elites to go into agriculture to expand food availability and business activities in the country. We commend the Speaker of Kwara State House of Assembly, Dr. Ali Ahmad over this initiative. We are going to pay a visit to unionise them as members of agriculture associations.
“A professional association like this is mainly to assist members in boosting their farms productivity and ensure their welfare. The association partners with both state and Federal Government in reviewing and formulating agricultural policies in the country.
The union leaders assured that AAEUN will provide professional advice to the lawmakers for high yield and and expansion of their agribusiness.
