Abia govt disburses interest-free loans to 302 youth farmers

...flags-off free screening for Hypertension and Diabetes patients

 Abia State government has commenced disbursement of interest-free loan to a total of 302 CSS farm -Youth- Farmers  recently trained at Nasarawa state.

This is  also as the state embarks  on screening exercise for Hypertension and Diabetes patients across the 17 LGAS  this month.

State Commissioner for Information, Prince Okey Kanu, who  announced this on Monday, while briefing newsmen on the outcome of this week’s executive council meeting at Government House Umuahia,  explained that the measures  followed the approval for the disbursement of both  the loan and screening exercise  by Governor  Alex Otti  last month.

The Ministry of Agriculture will  monitor the process to ensure that there is no abuse of the scheme, while Ministry of health is in-charge of the screening exercise.

He said that the disbursement will be in tranches, in-line with the Agric- venture- undertaken by various trainees.

According to him, “Beneficiaries  will not be given ‘one balloon payment’. Rather, the disbursement will be in tranches on milestones that will be tied to the level  and  extent of work done by the beneficiaries. Refund of the loan  is between 6 months  and one year depending on the gestation of the investment. All these are to ensure that the loans are adequately utilized”.

Contributing, the Commissioner for Agriculture Dr Cliff Agbaeze explained that the interest -free loan for the first batch of CSS Farm trainees ranges from one to three million naira depending on the Agric venture undertaken by each beneficiary.

On the world  Food Day  scheduled for Wednesday, October 16, 2024 Agbaeze further pointed out that the day is set-aside to celebrate agriculture  and provide opportunities for farmers to showcase their agricultural produce as well as provide opportunity for interactions between farmers and stakeholders.

The theme for this year’s celebration, which holds at the International Conference Center, Ogurube Layout Umuahia  is: “The Right To Food For a better life and a better Future”.

The event is used to raise awareness on food security and the need to avert global hunger. It is also  a day that is reserved or used to raise awareness about food security and to take action against country- wide hunger and malnutrition. It is a day that serves as a reminder of the need to ensure security and access to food nutrition”

Continuing,  Commissioner Kanu used the occasion to disclose that Abia state  is free from any new case of  cholera, diphtheria, Lasser fever and M-Pox.

His words, “As at date, Abia State is free from any new cases of Cholera, Lassa fever, Diphtheria and M-pox and what that speaks to is the fact that the state ministry of health is alive to their duties and working round the clock to ensure that Abians and Abia residents enjoy good health and healthy living”.

He said that Governor Alex Otti will on the 28th of this month flag -off free screening exercise for Hypertension and Diabetes patients across the 17 LGAS of the state. Rouche Diagnostic is scheduled to partner  the state in the project to the tune of N30 million