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Loan Default: FG Threatens To Drag Master Bakers Before EFCC

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6 years ago

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The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD) has threatened to drag master bakers before the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for defaulting in repaying loans for cassava bread production.
The ministry made the threat at the Cassava Bread Development Fund stakeholders meeting organised by the Bank of Industry (BOI) in collaboration with FMARD in Abuja, yesterday.
At the meeting, which had in attendance Master Bakers Associations and National Processors Associations and Marketers nationwide, it was gathered that some bakers, especially from the South West sold their equipment contravening the agreement with the BOI.
The Tide reports that the Cassava Bread Fund was created during the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan as part of the transformation policy in the agribusiness sector.
The cassava bread initiative was to ensure that Nigeria becomes the largest cassava processor having occupied the position of largest producer of the commodity in the world to guarantee the reduction of food import bills and production of the cassava composite bread.
Under the fund, the ministry, through the BOI, gave some of the bakers loans in form of equipment for between N5 million and N7 million to help in the successful production of cassava bread.
Director, Agric, Business and Marketing Department, (FMARD) Mr Musibau Azeez, warned the bakers that any attempt not to repay the loans would land them in the EFCC’s net.
Azeez said that it was in their interest to repay the loans because “the EFCC is waiting to arrest violators’’.
He said that if all condition stated were not met, the ministry would have no option than to toe the path of recovering the loan via the EFCC.
As part of the condition, he mandated the associations, both the bakers and processors to conduct free and fair elections to elect new executives to organise themselves.
”There is also need for BOI to engage the master bakers to see how to help them out of the present situation to enable them repay their loans,’’ Azeez said.
Mr Jimoh Iyiola, a member from the South West of the association, said it was true that most bakers in the region sold the equipment obtained via BOI, adding that “it was done with the consent of BOI’’.
”We had a meeting in Osogbo with BOI and we agreed that the equipment given out was not up to standard and we had to sell them to other smaller bakers who bake two or three bags a day,’’ he said.
Chairman, Master Baker, Makurdi, Benue branch, Mr Augustine Fagbola, said the reason it would be difficult for members to pay back was the inflation in prices of raw material.
According to him, in 2014, a 50kg bag of flour was N6, 500, now it is N11, 000. Sugar was N7, 500, now it sells for N14, 000 and at a time it was even sold for N27,000.

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NPA Assures On Staff Welfare 

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2 weeks ago

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June 27, 2025

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The Managing Director, Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Dr. Abubakar Dantsoho, has said the management will continue to accompany its port infrastructure  and equipment  modernization drive  with the development of the welfare of its personnel.
Dantsoho made the disclosure recently while responding to the commendation by the Maritime Workers Union (MWUN) and the senior Staff Association of Statutory Corporations and Government-Owned Companies (SSASGOC) on the  clearing  of the age-long problem of employee stagnation, when the union paid him a courtesy visit at the Authority’s headquarters in Lagos.
A Statement by NPA’s General Manager Corporate & Strategic Communications, Mr. Ikechukwu Onyemekara, quoted Dantsoho as saying,  “our Port infrastructure and equipment modernization drive will go hand-in-hand with continuous staff welfare improvement”.
The NPA MD disclosed that human capital development constitutes the key strategy for creating and sustaining superior performance under his watch, adding that “talent development constitutes a critical success factor for the actualization of the big hairy audacious goals we have set for ourselves especially in the area of Port competitiveness.
“The only way we can meet and indeed exceed stakeholders’ expectations is to deepen the competencies of our human resources assets and boosting their morale.”
Speaking further, Dantsoho commended the Honourable Minister of Marine & Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, for approving the strategic proposal of the Dantsoho-led Management team that solved the over a decade-long problem of lack of promotion that had fuelled industrial disharmony.
“I must specially appreciate our amiable Minister for graciously approving the multi-pronged stratagem we deployed that cleared all outstanding cases of employee stagnation by conducting examinations in one fell swoop and instituted timelines to forestall a recurrence of such anomaly”, he sad.
Speaking on behalf of the joint maritime labour unions, the President  of Senior Staff Association of Statutory Corporations & Government-Owned Companies (SSASCGOC), Comrade Bodunde stated, “In addition to clearance of the backlog of stagnated promotions, we also wish to express our appreciation for the increase in productivity bonuses, provision of end-of-year welfare packages for staff, and the revision of the Financial Guide to the Condition of Service, which now addresses our members’ concerns about inflationary pressures.”
Nkpemenyie Mcdominic, Lagos
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ANLCA Chieftain Emerges FELCBA’s VP

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2 weeks ago

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June 27, 2025

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National Secretary of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), Elder Olumide Fakanlu, has been elected Vice President of the Federation of ECOWAS Licensed Customs Brokers Association (FELCBA).
The election took place during the FELCBA Congress, held from Tuesday, June 17th to Thursday, June 19th, 2025, in Freetown, Sierra Leone.
Fakanlu’s emergence as Vice President marks a significant achievement for Nigeria within the regional customs brokerage community.
Apart from Fakanlu, Secretary of the Seme Chapter of ANLCA, Austin Nwosu, was also elected, securing the role of Secretary of Relations with Institutions.
The Nigerian delegation played an active role in the congress, with Michael Ebeatu nominated as a member of the electoral officer team, ensuring a fair and transparent election process.
The three-day congress concluded with delegates undertaking a visit to the Sierra Leone Port, offering insights into the host nation’s maritime operations, followed by a recreational trip to the Tokeh Beach.
The newly elected executives are expected to lead FELCBA in its efforts to harmonize customs brokerage practices, promote trade facilitation, and advocate for the interests of licensed customs brokers across the ECOWAS sub-region.
Nkpemenyie Mcdominic, Lagos
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NSC, Police Boost Partnership On Port Enforcement 

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2 weeks ago

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June 27, 2025

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In a bid to enhance more enforcement in the nation’s Port, the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) has reaffirmed its commitment to stronger inter-agency collaboration with the Nigeria Police Force (NPF).
The Council said the collaboration is aimed at enhancing stronger enforcement, compliance and improve operational efficiency across Nigeria’s ports.
Executive Secretary/Chief Executive Officer of  NSC, Dr. Pius Akutah, made this known during a visit to the  Inspector-General of Police, Dr. Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, at the Force Headquarters, Abuja.
The visit, which he said, focused on strengthening institutional synergy, comes in the wake of growing responsibilities for the NSC under the newly created Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy.
Akutah emphasized the critical role of security agencies in supporting port operations and ensuring regulatory compliance.
He called for the posting of police officers to assist the Council’s monitoring and enforcement teams at key port locations including Lagos, Warri, Onne, Port Harcourt, and Calabar.
“The posting will complement the activities of our revived task teams and enhance our ability to enforce standards across the maritime logistics chain”, he said.
Earlier, the Inspector-General of Police, Dr. Egbetokun, assured the Council of the Force’s readiness to continue supporting the growth of the maritime sector.
The IGP acknowledged that compliance enforcement is essential to the successful implementation of Nigeria’s Blue Economy objectives.
“The NSC and NPF are expected to deepen collaboration in the months ahead, with a shared focus on building a secure, efficient, and competitive port environment”, to the IGP emphasized.
Chinedu Wosu
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