We’re Ready To Fund Farmers, Artisans – CBN

The Central Bank of Nigeria has called on farmers, artisans, traders and others in Anambra State to maximise the funding opportunities which the bank has made available for them to expand their businesses.

Branch Comptroller of the bank in Awka, Mr Benedict Mmaduagwu, stated this on Tuesday at the Prof Dora Akunyili Women’s Development Centre, Awka while delivering his opening remarks at the bank’s two-day fair themed: Promoting Financial Stability and Economic Development.

He said the country’s apex bank had opened some funding windows designed to boost the country’s economy, with targets at promoting small and medium scale enterprises across Nigeria.

Mmaduagwu said the apex bank was taking steps to promote the nation’s economy; adding that the event was organised to teach the participants how to protect their bank accounts, ATM cards; how best to handle the naira notes and how to access funding opportunities for their businesses.

He said, “You have to embrace the CBN and its programmes. When you come close, we explain to you in detail on how you can benefit from it.

“We can support you to have access to farming implements, fertilisers, and the marketing strategies for your farm produce and other products.

“I am glad to inform you that the CBN will be sensitising the manufacturers, farmers, traders, artisans, cooperatives, financial institutions, religious organisations and the general public on how to access funding for their businesses.”

He added, “You can access some of our initiatives to grow so many things – cassava, yam, rice, plantations, etc. I am glad to inform you that Anambra has been accessing it.

“Many industrialists in Anambra have accessed one loan or the other. And we are glad to tell you that their businesses are prospering. And you can do that.”

He listed animal husbandry and crop farming as some of the areas the bank was interested in funding.