Ogun distributes N1bn agric loan

Ogun State Government has commenced the process for the distribution of N1bn loan to farmers under the Central Bank of Nigerias Commercial Agricultural Credit Scheme.The state governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, said at a stakeholders meeting on the states 2012 budget on Tuesday that the loan was expected to boost food production.He added that the community development initiative also received a boost with the release of N50m soft loans to traders, which had already been distributed through cooperative societies.Speaking on the states 2012 budget, Amosun said the state decided to hold the stakeholders meeting in order to satisfy the collective desires of the people as co-travellers in the journey to rebuild Ogun State."This is to ensure wider participation of our people at the grass roots. Todays gathering, therefore, is a crystal demonstration of our administrations commitment to ensure that the people of Ogun state are part of the decision-making progress, and that is why we recognise the importance of budgeting as an element of planning," he said.The governor said the policy thrust of the 2012 budget was focused on five areas which straddled the governments five point agenda.He said, "Sixty-seven per cent of next years budget will hopefully be spent on these five areas. Education will take 25 per cent, infrastructure will have 21 per cent, 10 per cent will be spent on health, while housing and agriculture will take seven per cent and four per cent respectively."This meeting is unique in the sense that it is the first in the life of our administration directed at democratising the process of budget making. However, it is my belief that this effort will transform our budget process from a mere ritual of considering figures into a very robust avenue for policy making."Amosun noted that the meeting should provide the government and the people of the state a veritable platform where issues would be addressed.
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