Yobe State Governor, Mai Mala Buni, has revealed how he secured loans worth N2.5 billion from the Bank of Agriculture (BOA) and the Bank of Industry (BOI) after assuming office in 2019 to invest in farming and boost economic activities.
Buni said he obtained N2 billion from the Bank of Industry and N500 million through the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) intervention programme facilitated by the Bank of Agriculture.
The governor disclosed this while swearing in the newly appointed Secretary to the State Government (SSG) and Permanent Secretaries at the Government House in Damaturu.
He urged public servants to uphold integrity, accountability and dedication to duty, warning that his administration would not tolerate negligence in the public service.
Buni also encouraged civil servants to embrace farming and livestock production, noting that the public service rules permit workers to engage in such ventures alongside their official duties.
According to him, agriculture and livestock rearing provide a reliable source of income and can help workers prepare for life after retirement.
‘When I became governor in 2019, one of the first things I did was to obtain a N500 million loan through the Bank of Agriculture under a CBN facility. The Bank of Industry also gave me N2 billion, which I invested in acquiring farmland and agricultural activities.
‘If you want to verify it, you can go outside the town and see the farms. The people working there and earning a living from those farms give me great satisfaction.
‘We have employed many people on those farms, and they are supporting their families through the jobs created,’ he said.
The governor said civil servants should see agriculture as a long-term investment that would cushion the effects of retirement and provide sustainable livelihoods.
‘The solution to the fear of leaving public service is to embrace farming and livestock production. It will help you greatly when you retire,’ he added.
Buni also urged youths and farmers in the state to take advantage of opportunities in dry-season farming, assuring them that the planned distribution of irrigation pumps by the government would further ease farming activities and increase agricultural productivity.