By Louise Jobe
Farmers in the villages of Bondali, Bwaim, Sibanor, Bintang, and Ndemban in the West Coast Region (WCR) said they have started receiving cash payments for their groundnuts from Qmoney cash agents at Seccos since Saturday, January 18, 2025, for the first time since the groundnut trade season began.
Farmers made this disclosure to Foroyaa on Monday, January 20, 2025, during interviews in their villages.
Anifan Jammeh, the Chairperson of the presidents of WCR Seccos, said that since the beginning of the 2024/2025 groundnut trade season, farmers in the Region have been faced with the challenge of going to AGIB bank branches to receive their monies.
‘‘This digital payment has caused serious delay in this year’s groundnut trade season. Some farmers understand the process, but the vast majority do not know how to operate the system and they are the ones who have refused to bring their groundnuts to Seccos,’’ Mr. Jammeh said.
When asked about the challenges behind this new process, Mr. Jammeh said many farmers are not happy with the time they waste at the bank.
He explained that before the trade season began, GGC and the Qmoney group called all Secco presidents for a discussion in Brusubi, where they were informed about a new digital payment system. He said this was how the whole problem started.
Ousman Jarju, a Qmoney agent at one of the Seccos said they are responsible for posting farmers’ money in their Qmoney account.
When asked to clarify the claim that, farmers had been deducted several charges, Mr. Jarju agreed and said the claims were genuine regarding monies paid to farmers being deducted at the Bank. However, he said this is not happening now.
‘‘When a farmer comes to us as Qmoney agents with his pay slip, the actual amount will be posted for him or her and extra money will be added to their money for the bank’s service. Qmoney is now responsible for bank charges and all the monies deducted from farmers’ groundnut sales,’’ Mr. Jarju said.
Bakary Bojang, another farmer, said he is happy with the present payment system that Qmoney has introduced and confirmed to this reporter that one Ismaila has been designated by Qmoney to pay farmers cash after they weigh their nuts at Secco within the Region.
Many farmers who spoke to this reporter said they are satisfied with the new payment system and hope that things will continue like this.
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