FG begins tractor hire service …We are not aware – AFAN

 President Goodluck Jonathan who was represented by Vice President Namadi Sambo stated this during the flag-off ceremony of equipment hiring services in Abuja recently. The new plane deployed in Kebbi said government is commencing the programme with 590 units of tractors, 500 power tillers and harvest and post-harvest equipment, which will help set up 118 […]

 President Goodluck Jonathan who was represented by Vice President Namadi Sambo stated this during the flag-off ceremony of equipment hiring services in Abuja recently. The new plane deployed in Kebbi said government is commencing the programme with 590 units of tractors, 500 power tillers and harvest and post-harvest equipment, which will help set up 118 agricultural equipment hiring enterprises across the country.
In addition, 24 agricultural equipment hiring enterprises will be established specifically to support youth and women farmers.
 “The federal government, through Ministry of Agriculture has made available N4.5 billion to support the provision of affordable refinancing facility to allow private sector acquisition of these tractors and agricultural machinery, through the Bank of Agriculture,” the President said.
 The financing arrangement requires the government to provide 35 per cent of the loans, Bank of Agriculture to finance 35 per cent, the agro-machinery vendors provide 10 per cent and service provider operators will provide 20 per cent equity for the agricultural equipment hiring enterprises to take off.
Sambo said he has directed the Central Bank of Nigeria to set aside a N50 billion mechanisation intervention support fund that will allow and speed up the full establishment of the 1,200 private-sector driven agricultural equipment hiring enterprises across the country.
 But the apex farmers association in the country, the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), said through its Technical Adviser, Dr Tunde Arosonyan, that the association is not aware of the event because it was neither involved in it nor invited.