More states are set for a new partnership with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) on the Anchor Borrowers’ Programme (ABP) to strengthen the implementation of the programme and economic opportunities for smallholder farmers.
The chairman of Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) and Ekiti State governor, Kayode Fayemi disclosed this after the virtual Nigeria Governors’ Forum meeting on Wednesday night.
According to him, in the light of the proposed partnership with the CBN on the ABP, an official MoU signing will be held on Tuesday, 28th July, 2020.
He said that the initiative would be followed by the establishment of a joint project team, engagement with stakeholders and launch during the 2020 dry season farming.
Fayemi further said that the forum resolved to strengthen the risk communication pillar of the State COVID-19 Task Teams as proposed by the PTF national coordinator, and foster stronger collaboration with the National Orientation Agency, state orientation agencies, religious and traditional institutions, as well as civil societies.
He said that they will also step-up the current efforts by taking key health and safety measures to the doorsteps of Nigerians in all 774 local governments areas in the country.
State governments, he pointed out through their ministries of finance will utilise technical assistance available within the NGF Secretariat to publish their approved amended 2020 COVID-19-responsive budgets by 31st July, 2020. Other measures to be adopted by the states include “maintaining the implementation of a tax compliance relief programme for individual taxpayers and business to mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 crisis; issue emergency procurement guidelines.
“Adopt procedures to facilitate the participation of small and medium scale enterprises in state procurement by 30th September 2020.”
