Alhaji Ahmed Matane, Secretary to the Niger Government, on Tuesday said that the state government would continue to collaborate with the Bank of Agriculture to give the agricultural sector the desired attention.
Matane made this known when he received Mr Ibrahim Alamba, Zonal Manager, North Central Zone, Bank of Agriculture in his office in Minna.
He noted that before the discovery of oil, agriculture remained the bedrock of economic growth, development and poverty eradication in the country.
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He explained that the advent of oil affected agriculture so much that people played down agricultural activities to the detriment of the nation’s economy.
Matane said that the state is endowed with abundant natural resources, which, if properly harnessed, would galvanise the state to economic buoyancy.
He assured the zonal manager that the state government under the leadership of Gov. Sani Bello would continue to support the activities of the bank with a view to achieving the set goals.
In his remarks, Alamba told the secretary to the state government that about N3 billion was extended to farmers as loans in the North Central Zone through the Anchor Borrowers’ Programme of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) by the Bank of Agriculture.
He noted that he was in the secretary to the state government’s office to felicitate with Matane over his appointment by the governor. (NAN)
