AGRIC LOAN SCAM: Bayelsans calls on Buhari/Ogbeh, advises Lokpobiri to distance himself from RIFAN.

A body in Bayelsa known as the Bayelsa Renaissance  Group (BRG) on Wednesday in a press briefing,  has called on the Federal Government to directly communicate agricultural policies with the Heads of various Farmers Cooperative Societies and not through RIFAN (Rice farmers association of Nigeria ) Bayelsa as the country gears up for diversification of the economy through agriculture.

The leadership of the group John Bratua and James Botei in a statement made the call in the light of the ongoing registration of Farmers Cooperative Societies in Bayelsa with a view to obtaining loans through RIFAN Bayelsa, they described that RIFAN Bayelsa is using this as a ploy to defraud Farming Cooperative Societies in the State.

It maintained that in 2011/2012, RIFAN Bayelsa was allegedly engaged in various fraudulent practices including collecting large sums of money in the name of guaranteeing farmers to obtain loans but none of the people that paid various amounts benefitted from such loans that came to the State. What happened was the increase of several millions of naira to the pockets of these fraudsters, who parade themselves as guarantors, while those who pay these amounts did not get loan at the end of the exercise.

The group also called on Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, Minister of State for Agriculture to distant himself from RIFAN Bayelsa to avoid being embarrassed at his home front. The group explained that RIFAN Bayelsa is using their relationship with the Junior minister to fraud Bayelsans.

The group also called the Federal Minister of Agriculture and Natural Resources Mr. Audu Ogbe and President Muhammadu Buhari to stop Ezekiel Ogbianko-led RIFAN in Bayelsa from collecting between #25,000.00 and #35,000.00 as a guarantee to obtain agricultural loans in Bayelsa State, which the people will never get.

It will be recalled that on Wednesday, 24th of February 2016 in Yenagoa, Mr. Ezekiel Ogbianko Chairman of the Association in Bayelsa called on Heads of various Farmers Cooperative Societies both young and old in the State to register with his body to enhance production in the country, a ploy aimed at defrauding the public again as usual.