By Stella Odueme
The Federal Government, in collaboration with the Bank of Agriculture (BOA), has disbursed funds to civil servants to boost the development of agriculture and enhance food security in the country.
Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Dr Folasade Yemi-Esan, at the presentation of cheques for a credit facility totalling N2.3 million to four beneficiaries from the first batch of the Agripreneurship Training Scheme, said 87 officers participated in the initial training conducted in March 2023, while 98 participants emerged from the second batch which started on November 20, 2023.
The Agripreneurship Scheme is in line with the Federal Civil Service Strategy and Implementation Plan 2021 to 2025, to enhance the welfare civil servants for efficiency in service delivery.
Yemi- Esan expressed her commitment to the effective implementation of the scheme which is part of the Federal Public Service Entrepreneurship (FPSEP) Programme.
“It offers civil servants a supplementary income window, to aid retirees in transitioning post-servic.
“The initiative operates under a tripartite arrangement involving the Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation, the Public Service Institute of Nigeria (PSIN), and the Bank of Agriculture,” she said.
While the Head of Service coordinates the programme, PSIN handles theoretical components, just as the Bank of Agriculture provides credit facilities to eligible participants for startup business after training.
The Managing Director of the Bank of Agriculture, Alwan Ali Hassan, explained that the credit facility offers a single-digit interest rate of 9 percent, while loan repayment is linked to participants’ salaries.
He commended the Head of Service for the initiative.
One the beneficiaries,
Mrs Eunice Tinko, who expressed gratitude for the scheme, assured the Head of Service that the disbursed funds would be judiciously utilised.
