The Federal Ministry of Agriculture has warned agro-dealers as well as helpline staff selected to participate in the 2014 Growth Enhancement Support (GES) scheme in Bauchi state against diversion of fertiliser.
The Director, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development in the state, Alhaji Mohammed Yusuf, gave the warning in Bauchi, at the weekend
He said that any dealer found caught engaging in fraudulent practices would be handed over to the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC).
Mohammed gave the warning at a one-day capacity training, organised for the agro-dealers and help line staff by the International Fertiliser Development Centre (IFDC), in Bauchi.
He said that under the GES programme, each registered farmer would receive two bags of fertiliser at 50 percent discount and at a 90 percent discount for a bag of seed.
He said that the ministry received reports during the previous distribution that some agro-dealers diverted the product and sold it to unregistered members.
Mohammed stressed that stringent measures had been put in place to deal with any agro-dealer found guilty of such acts.
Earlier, IFDC’s Project Team Leader, Mr. Chinedum Ukeka, said that the training was meant to equip the helpline staff and agro-dealers on how to handle the farmers for a successful exercise.
He said that as the representative of the supply chain managers, the main duty of the helpline staff was to confirm every farmer who came to redeem his fertilizer.
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