Oct. 23, 2024

Gov Douye Diri of Bayelsa says the alleged diversion of N8 billion agriculture loan by members of his cabinet would not be tolerated by his administration.

Diri said this on Wednesday after the state Executive Council meeting in Yenagoa.

The governor directed the Commissioner for Agriculture, Prof Beke Sese to provide an update on the loan disbursed in 2022.

He noted that his administration, which sought to use agriculture to drive his policy of food security could not afford to pay lip service to the sector.

“I do not want the impression that we collected money and shared among ourselves.

“We did not collect any money. The money is a loan for agriculture and not for any other purpose and we want to set examples from members of our cabinet.

“The Commissioner for Agriculture is directed to go into the matter and provide a response on past and present members of this cabinet,” Diri said.

However, when contacted for comments on the development by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) Beke , Sese said there was no cause for alarm on the loan.

Sese was appointed Commissioner for Agriculture in Diri’s second term.

On the situation report, the commissioner said , “There’s no situation report about the Agric loan. Everything is fine and going according to stipulated plans.

“I am just getting my team adequately prepared to deploy the 3rd tranche for the forthcoming dry season farming and beyond. That will effectively commence immediately after the threat of flood is behind us.”

It would be recalled that in 2020, Dr John Idumange, a former General Manager of Bayelsa Broadcasting Corporation had alleged that N3 billion of the agricultural loan had been allegedly diverted.

Idumange, who was arrested and prosecuted for raising the alarm, claimed the loan was disbursed among government officials, who had no business in the agric sector.

He claimed that he had 17 proofs of the N3 billion diversion, but the trial was later discontinued and the case was subsequently struck out. (NAN)