Nasarawa State governor, Engineer Abdullahi Sule, has solicited additional loans for farmers from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

The governor made this known while hosting officials of the CBN Lafia branch, at the Government House, on Thursday.

While appreciating the apex bank for granting loans to farmers in the state, the governor sought additional loans for farmers in the state, especially since Nasarawa State is an agricultural state.

Engineer Sule equally appealed to the CBN to consider involving the state government in the disbursement of the loans, in order to ensure that the funds are not diverted to other businesses.

“I want to thank you for the loans that you have given our farmers. You know, we are an agricultural state,” he stated.

The governor pointed out through involving the state in disbursing the loans, the government can ensure that the money is used for the purpose it was given.

“Agricultural activities is a development for us. Agriculture is business and we will not like it if someone takes N50m from you and instead of putting it into a farm, he puts it into a different business,” he said.

He appreciated the bank for remitting over N120m as taxes to the state, as well as embarking on corporate social responsibility by building a clinic in Wamba.

On the request by the CBN for a five hectares piece of land, the governor identified Shendam Road for citing the CBN housing estate.

While commending the CBN for completing and moving into its permanent structure in Lafia, Engineer Sule used the opportunity of the visit to inform the officials of the planned visit by President Muhammadu Buhari.

He told them that, as part of activities marking the visit, the President will commission the new CBN complex in Lafia.

Earlier in his opening remarks, the leader of the delegation, Samson Isuwa, branch controller CBN Lafia, appreciated the governor and government, for supporting the CBN since takeoff, especially the donation of the land hosting the permanent site of the bank.

Isuwa said they were also at the Government House to formally inform the governor that the CBN has completed and already moved into its building located in Bukan Sidi area.

He, therefore, requested the governor to undertake a tour of the facility, with a view to fostering synergy and partnership between the apex bank, government and people of Nasarawa State.

The CBN Lafia branch controller commended Engineer Sule for his efforts to ensure that the state is linked to the national grid through the completion of the Akurba power substation.

He disclosed that last alone, 90 CBN staff from the Lafia branch, remitted about N120m as tax to the state government.

Isuwa equally disclosed that the bank’s development finance office, disbursed over N7bn as loans to farmers in the state, under the various schemes.

As part of the bank’s corporate social responsibility, he added that the staff of the branch contributed money and built a cottage clinic in Wamba.