Kebbi and Kano farmers, pay your debt before pilgrimage
Ido hope this letter will get to our farmers and their leadership through the power of both conventional and social media. I read two disheartened stories one on Kano state farmers and the other on Kebbi state farmers over their default on the Anchor borrowers’ programme. Permit me to say with great concern that this is not the way to go. You made a lot of money from rice farming. You have no reason to default. We read in Daily Trust that many of this year’s intending Muslim pilgrims from Northern Nigeria are mostly farmers. (Daily Trust February 4, 2017).
We read that farmers from Kebbi and Niger states sought for additional Hajj seats after filling their states allocated quotas. We read so many good stories about the bumper harvest made by farmers in the country. We read about many farmers buying cars, tricycles, motorcycles, and phones etc.
Some have even acquired new wives, but most of the farmers refuse to settle their debt. Please pay your debt first before going to Hajj. It will be ungrateful should you refuse to pay. Pay your money so that the government can give other farmers in other states. You have gotten capital from the loan already given to you. Please do the needful!
“The Chairman of Kano State Anchor Borrowers Recovery Team, who is also the
Managing Director Kano Agricultural and Development Authority
(KNARDA), Professor Mahmud Daneji, has revealed that out of the 5,540 beneficiaries of the Federal Government’s agricultural intervention scheme in the state only four have successfully paid back” (Daily Trust April 21,2017).
“The Kebbi State Government says it will prosecute 11,541 beneficiaries of the CBN anchor borrower rice production in Suru Local Government Area, who failed to redeem their loan. The State Deputy Gov. Alhaji Samaila Yombe, who visited the farmers in Suru local government area ...gave the defaulting farmers three weeks ultimatum or face prosecution “(Daily Trust April 20,2017).
The loan facility is being accessed under the Central Bank of Nigeria ‘Anchor Borrowers Program’ at a single digit and, is being managed by the Bank of Agriculture (BOA) as the implementation vehicle for the disbursement of the loan (cash and inputs) to the beneficiary farmers of the state’s dry season rice farming. All the beneficiaries of this unprecedented intervention are supposed to be registered members of the Rice Farmers Association of of Rural Nigeria (RIFAN).
Repayment for Loans granted to the Small Holder Farmers shall be repaid with the harvested produce that shall be mandatorily delivered to the Anchor at designated collection center in line with the provisions of the Agreement signed. The produce to be delivered must cover the loan principal and interest. However, the farmers were also given the opportunity to pay cash rather than to deliver their output.
However, most Islamic scholars have stated 5 conditions of Hajj being obligatory, which, if they are met, make it obligatory for a person to perform Hajj, and without them Hajj is not obligatory: being Muslim, being of sound mind, being an adult, being free and being able to do it. More so, this includes being able both physically and financially. Being financially able means that one has enough funds to get to the sacred House of Allah and back again. If he has to borrow the money to make the journey, Hajj is not compulsory on him.
Agriculture is the way to go in order to reduce import dependency. With Agriculture jobs will be provided. Poverty will be reduced. Please pay your debt first before going to Hajj!
Nurudeen Dauda, Kaduna. U/Shanu,