Failure to pay project counterpart funds may plunge Anambra into rice, garri scarcity

Published on June 27, 2023By Joe Chukindi

There are fears that non-payment of counterpart funds by the Anambra State Government for an agricultural programme organised by the Federal Government of Nigeria/ International Fund for Agricultural Development-Value Chain Development Programme (FGN/IFAD-VCDP) may plunge the state into a scarcity of rice and garri.


A source who spoke to DAILY POST yesterday in Awka on conditions of anonymity said the state has not paid counterpart fund for some years, which is adversely affecting the production of rice and cassava products in the state.

“This is the fifth year running since the Anambra Government last paid her counterpart fund for the FGN/ IFAD-VCDP programme.


“The state first paid the counterpart fund of N94.4m in the year 2015, in 2016, it paid N94.8m, due to additional financing between the years 2021 and 2023 the money rose to N118m yearly, meaning that it is owing about N590 million.


“The programme first began with three Local Government Areas of Anambra East, Anambra West and Ayamelum, later Orumba North, Awka North, and finally Orumba South, Ogbaru and Ihiala.”

Anambra had in 2016 been noted to have hit its highest production capacity in rice, under the Governor Willie Obiano administration, with an annual production of 210,000 metric tons of rice.


It was also gathered that staff of FGN/IFAD-VCDP in the state are owed 13 months’ salaries and other allowances, a situation that has negatively affected the work attitude of the workers and by extension programme implementation.

A staff of the programme who begged not to be named said: “The morale of workers in undertaking their responsibilities to farmers have largely been affected because it is not easy for someone to work for a whole 13 months without salaries and you expect magic from such a worker.”

Anambra State Commissioner for Agriculture, Dr Foster Ihejiofor, when contacted on the reason behind the non-payment of the counterpart fund, simply told Journalists to speak with FGN/IFAD-VCDP State Programme Co-ordinator, Mr Emmanuel Agwucha.


On his part, Agwucha told journalists that the matter was not for public consumption.

In his words, “This matter is not for the press, please.

https://dailypost.ng/2023/06/27/failure-to-pay-project-counterpart-funds-may-plunge-anambra-into-rice-garri-scarcity/

13 month salary being owed.smh

While some states are building independent agric systems, FG has been subsidising rice and garri in Anambra state for years!

So what is the state doing if it can not achieve ordinary garri and rice food security yet sits at home every Monday. Who then is deceiving who?

Anambra is a very poor state with people living on FG food subsidy in my estimation of this report. If you can't feed your people then they should all go to farm!
Check my signature for free stuffs!

Anambra is a decayed state

Soludo

Are the billionaires crying?

FreeStuffsNG:
13 month salary being owed.smh

While some states are building independent agric systems, FG has been subsidising rice and garri in Anambra state for years!

So what is the state doing if it can not achieve ordinary garri and rice food security yet sits at home every Monday. Who then is deceiving who?

Anambra is a very poor state with people living on FG food subsidy in my estimation of this report. If you can't feed your people then they should all go to farm!

Go and tell Soludo. Mtcheeewww!!!!!

Ebubu7:


Unknown gunmen and ESN have overran your state.

Go and take cue from Borno state and Benue on how to free your state from terrorism oga

mad man anthem.

chichar1:
mad man anthem.

rest daughter of Anambra unknown gun men terrorised state

FreeStuffsNG:
13 month salary being owed.smh

While some states are building independent agric systems, FG has been subsidising rice and garri in Anambra state for years!

So what is the state doing if it can not achieve ordinary garri and rice food security yet sits at home every Monday. Who then is deceiving who?

Anambra is a very poor state with people living on FG food subsidy in my estimation of this report. If you can't feed your people then they should all go to farm!

When I read stuffs like this, I feel like giving that bald headed witch called Obi EzekweSILLY a big knock for he stinking hypocrisy.

I still have strong feeling Soludo would deliver. I've never doubted that man for a minute. All he needs is time.

omenka:
When I read stuffs like this, I feel like giving that bald headed witch called Obi EzekweSILLY a big knock for he stinking hypocrisy.

I still have strong feeling Soludo would deliver. I've never doubted that man for a minute. All he needs is time.

Soludo is not performing well abeg

No clear economic direction.

No infrastructure revamp.

Go to Ebonyi and see infrastructure.

Anambra has been overrun by terrorism Borno state is learning.

Kids carry guns about

Homes and shops close by 5pm

Does Anambra depend on rice and garri planted in the state to survive all these years?
Many people in the state are not even aware that the state borrowed money to invest in agriculture same way many Nigerians don't know what Buhari did with N77trn he borrowed on our behalf for 8 years

I thought them say Obi don perfect the state

Lol State of Billionaires....


They might come online and tell us na Ibadan Express way Media Propaganda....


Let it be the other way round the thread for don full like flood...