The Smallholder Economic Interest Farmers Agricultural Cooperative (SEIFAC) has been criticized by its beneficiaries nationwide for the failure of the group to stand up to it’s promises.
The beneficiaries lament that, though the registration for the cooperative was free, but lots of other expenses were done and their hope is being weighed down due to the inability to make use of the ATMs issued to them.
SEIFAC had in the past one year collaborated with the Heritage Bank to open accounts for it’s numerous members nationwide and issue them a dedicated ATM card.
After the issuance of the ATM to members, beneficiaries earnestly waited to withdraw from the accounts but up till now nothing positive is happening.
One of the viral comment on the negative activity of the SEIFAC and heritage bank is written by Muhammad Sani posted through the SEIFAC LOAN UPDATE group on Facebook, Sani Said;
“My useless ATM card is with me here, and you are deducting my account as card maintainance fee,,so this is d reason why you restricted us from having access of using our accounts? Just to loot the remaining balance for nothing.
Thunder will fire you HERITAGE BANKs nd chief 419 coordinator PATRICK ABUR.”
Efforts by Newsway to get to Mr. Patrick Abur all failed and until the time of writing this post, no comment has been received from the body despite sending series of mails.
The Cooperative objective of the group states thus:
SEIFAC (Smallholder Economic Interest Farmers Agricultural Cooperative) major objective is to organize the Nigerian Smallholder Farmers who are scattered, confused and ravage by hunger and poverty like a stranded Sheep without a herd and flock.
A group of Smallholder Farmers analyzed the worrisome situation of the Nigerian Smallholder Farmers and came up with the strategy of cluster farming called Agricultural Production Cluster (Agro-PC) having understudied the concept from developed and developing countries for a good number of years and believe the adoption of same in the Nigerian context shall proffer a lasting solution to the plights of the Smallholder Farmers.
It is therefore the cooperative of the Smallholder Farmers, by the Smallholder Farmers and for the Smallholder Farmers.
