kaduna (WorldStage Newsonline)-- The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) said on Sunday in Kaduna that the state government was not reaping the benefits of the various economic development programmes of the Federal Government over the years.
The branch controller of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in the state, Alhaji Mohammed Gusau, said at the 2011 Kaduna Bankers Dinner/Award Night, that the state was yet to assess the N50 billion agricultural credit support scheme, the microfinance and micro fund policy programmes as well as the commercial agricultural credit scheme provided by the Federal Government.
Gusau, appealed to the state government to take advantage of the various programmes of the Federal Government to better the living standard to the people of the state.
“I will also like to seize this opportunity to call on His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Kaduna State to utilize the opportunity provided by the selection of Kaduna State as one of the pilot States for the implementation of the Nigerian Incentive Based Risk Sharing System for Agricultural Lending (NIRSAL), for the development and expansion of maize, ginger and soya beans productions in Kaduna State,” he said.
According to him, statistics have shown that the State was left behind in reaping the benefits of viable economic development programmes such as the agricultural credit guarantee scheme.
Said Gusau: “This would go a long way in improving the agricultural economy of the State, thereby creating more employment, reducing poverty, enhancing food security and generating higher tax revenue from a better, wealthier, peaceful and prosperous population.”
“As we all know, Kaduna State is endowed with the necessary human, material and land resources to become an enviable commercial nerve.
“I cannot relent on my effort in calling on the government and people of Kaduna State to participate and encourage in the deepening of the various Federal Government’s economic policies and programmes in the State for the betterment of Kaduna and its people.”
The state governor, Mr. Patrick Yakowa in his remark , however, lamented the attitude of some banks in the implementation of the e-payment system, warming that the state would cease doing business with any commercial bank that maintain such attitude.
While commending commercial banks in the, the governor, who was represented by the state Commissioner for Finance, Mr. John Ayuba pointed out that some fraudulent elements within the system were frustrating the process.
“E-payment was a wise decision by the CBN because a lot of fraud that use to take place before has reduced. Those used to the former method are frustrating the system,” he said.
