…3,700 NLCL members to benefit in first phase
A foremost agriculture and financing company, Trevari Group on Monday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Nigerian Legion Cooperative Society Limited (NLCL) on agribusiness.
Under the agreement, Trevari will support 3,700 members of NLCL in the first phase towards accessing the various government empowerment schemes including the Central Bank of Nigeria’s Agricultural Credit Guarantee Scheme ( ACGS) and the Anchor Borrower Scheme.
The Executive Vice Chairman of Trevari Group, Mr. Innocent Obande signed the MoU on behalf of the company while the Secretary of NLCL, Group Capt. Eloma Ikona (rtd) and the Legal Adviser of NLCL, Mr. Ayi Joseph signed for the Legion Cooperative Society.
Obande said, “We plan to provide support to 3,700 members of the Nigerian Legions cooperative in the first phase while the beneficiaries will also be empowered to employ at least additional 7,400 active poor Nigerians.”
The Trevari boss said further that the company would provide tractors, green house equipment and other farming inputs at subsidised rate to members of the Legion Cooperative Society nationwide.
”Trevari Group is also providing technical expertise and personnel for the operation and management of the proposed Agro Scheme to be established by the Nigerian Legion Cooperative Society Limited,” he added.
He called for the establishment of product specific micro-finance banks in communities across the country to finance rural agricultural development.
“Beyond advancing money to the farmers, the micro-finance banks should have Agric Department that will be saddled with various functions ranging from agric extension services, to monitoring of utilisation of funds, hiring of tractors/implements, and sales of improved seedlings and fertilisers to farmers,” Obande stated.
In his remarks, the NLCL secretary, Eloma Ikona, commended the efforts of Treveri Group to empower members of the cooperative society as part of the renewed measures to raise agriculture sector’s contribution to the country’s gross domestic product.
Ikona noted that the agriculture sector remained the best opportunity for the Federal Government to create jobs and wealth, in view of the declining oil prices and revenue.
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