Jigawa Flags Off N1.6bn Civil Servants’ Agric Loan

The Jigawa State government has flagged off the distribution of a N1.6 billion agricultural loan to civil servants engaged in dry season rice farming in the state.

The flag-off, performed by the state governor, Malam Umar Namadi, marks the third phase of the programme which was first launched in 2024.

In his speech, Governor Umar Namadi revealed that since the inception of the programme, over 24,000 workers have accessed the loan of over N6.6 billion, with a very good repayment record.

Governor Namadi explained that the Civil Servant Agricultural Loan was initiated to empower workers to diversify their sources of income to provide workers with a sustainable means of livelihood before and after retirement, while also enabling them to contribute their quota towards achieving national food security.

In his remarks, the state Head of the Civil Service, Muhammad Dagacire, said the loan is one of the key components of Jigawa State’s agricultural policy. “Under the scheme, workers are provided with access to farm inputs at subsidised prices, as well as cash to finance other farming activities.

“The loan has so far proven to be a very successful and sustainable initiative. It provides a promising mechanism for supporting agricultural activities and its value chain, contributing to poverty eradication, food security and economic growth,” he said.

He commended Governor Namadi for the initiative, saying it has so far uplifted the economic lives of thousands of workers.

Muhammad Dagacire noted that the initiative has encouraged thousands of workers to embrace farming not only as a subsistence activity but also as a business.

He added that the fruitful results are evident all over the state.

The Head of Service reassured the governor that the technical committee will continue to collaborate with all stakeholders to ensure the successful distribution of the third phase of the programme.

At the occasion, the technical adviser to the Governor on Agriculture, Dr Saifullahi, said that Information Technology was adopted in the programme, from application to distribution, tracking, and repayment, this has provided a high level of efficiency and accuracy.