Outgone Bank of Agric Boss says funding, training hindering growth in agriculture

The immediate past Managing Director of the Bank of Agriculture (BOA), Professor Danbala Danju has said that lack of funding, training and retraining of staff in the agriculture sector and commitment on the part of stakeholders to improve agricultural productivity has been the major challenges trailing the sector.

He therefore urged the Federal Government to show more commitment in its effort to boost the sector.

Noting the eagerness of President Muhammadu Buhari led administration to diversify Nigeria’s economy and make the agricultural sector a priority, Danju observed that the dream is being shortened by lack of necessary motivation for those that would pilot the growth in the sector.

According to him, “Like in other places, there must be a vehicle to address the challenges. One of such vehicles is the Bank of Agriculture. But the most challenging issue we have now is to restore the Bank of Agriculture to play that crucial role in the development scheme of the country.

“For the incoming management, restructuring the Bank to get funding is the most important thing to pursue.”

The new Managing Director of BOA, Alhaji Kabiru Mohammed Adamu, in his remarks, commended the outgoing management for its invaluable contribution to the organisation, noting “they came into office when the Bank was facing serious challenges”.

“As the Professor mentioned, the seed has already been sown, you have already started watering the plant and we would continue to do so, until the plant bears fruits to the benefit of the nation.”