From: Ali Abare, Gombe

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) said it has approved the sum of N660 million for 3, 479 farmers in Gombe State under the Federal Government’s Anchor Borrower scheme to boost rice farming.

Head, Development Finance of the CBN in Gombe, Sani Muhammad Chobe, disclosed this, on Thursday, during a two-day sensitisation workshop for stakeholders.

Chobe said plans have been concluded to commence the disbursement of the grant to the beneficiaries next week meant for the first and second batch of beneficiaries.

He explained that the delay experienced in the process of arriving at the number of beneficiaries was as a result of the issue of duplication of bank accounts and Bank Verification Number (BVN) by the applicants with over 3000 cases identified.

Chobe added further that change in the leadership of the Bank of Agriculture also contributed to the delay in disbursement off the grant to beneficiaries.

While noting that the grant is specifically for the production of rice and tomato, Chobe announced that grants for a third batch of beneficiaries in the state are being processed.

He however said female farmers would benefit 60 percent of the grant while the remaining 40 percent would go to male farmers.

The two-day sensitisation workshop was organised to keep the public abreast of the activities of the CBN.

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In a remark, Fada Banon of the Consumer Protection Department, disclosed that the apex bank has refunded N51 billion to Nigerians relating to different categories of complaints ranging from excess charges, fraud and card related complaints from 2010 to date.

Fada said that the CBN recieved a total of 9, 600 complaints during the same period, out of which N51 billion was refunded to bank customers.

He warned the public against disclosing their personal banking information to fraudulent individuals currently exploiting loopholes on the internet.

Earlier, acting Branch Controller, Gombe CBN, Hamza Jibrin said the harmonised sensitization covers all the bank’s initiatives  as well as real sector interventions.

Represented at the event by Sani Muhammad Chobe, Head, Development Finance, pointed out that the CBN supports both government and stakeholders towards promoting strong economic development growth.

He said the maiden fair is to showcase  CBN’s activities towards improving the economy across all sectors.

Acting Director of Corporate Communications of the CBN, Isaac Okarafor, restated the commitment of the apex bank on the need to diversify the country’s economy.

Gombe State Commissioner for Cooperatives and Poverty Alleviation, Alhaji Yusuf Mamu Suwa, commended the CBN for organising the fair which he said would afford stakeholders in the state the avenue to know more about the activities of the apex bank.