By Lamin Fatty
The Government of The Gambia through National Food Security Processing and Marketing Corporation (NFSPMC) alias GGC is still owing groundnut farmers in the Upper River Region (URR) over one million, seven hundred thousand dalasi.
It could be recalled that this medium revealed the outstanding sums owed to farmers in the said area amounting to over five million dalasi at three government buying points in Jimara in the Upper River Region, including Gambisara secco, Demba Kunda secco and Sotuma Sere secco respectively.
These aforementioned seccos received cash recently to pay farmers, but payments could not continue as the money provided wasn’t enough.
As this reporter visited those three buying points to assess the payments, Foroyaa found out that the cash supplied to the seccos was insufficient to clear debts and they did not get additional cash after exhausting the recent cash supply to settle farmers owed.
At Gambisara secco, the remaining debt balance is nine hundred and eleven thousand, five hundred and forty-four Dalasi (D911,544).
At Demba Kunda secco, the remaining balance is four hundred and fifty thousand dalasi (D450,000) while at Sotuma Sere secco, the debt balance is about three hundred thousand dalasi (D300,000) respectively.
Surprisingly at Bagadagy buying point, there is a debt unpaid amounting to about fifty thousand dalasi (D50,000).
Now the total amount the government owesgroundnut farmers in the said region amid this year’s groundnut trade season is equivalent to one million, seven hundred and eleven thousand, five hundred and forty-four dalasi (D1,711,544).
This reporter made several efforts to reach out to the business development manager at National Food Security Processing and Marketing Corporation Mr Lamin Fofana for comment, but to no avail, as he is not picking calls.
