Anchor Borrowers: Ogun assembly invites former agric commissioner, others over illegal deduction of victims’ funds

Ogun State House of Assembly Committee on Agriculture, chaired by Hon. Waliu Owode, has invited a former Commissioner for Agriculture, Adeola Odedina, the Chairman and Secretary of the National Cassava Growers Association, the immediate past executive members of the Association, Mr. Ilori and Mr. Segun Adewunmi, alongside the project manager of the Anchor Borrowers Programme to appear before the State lawmakers next Tuesday, 28th of October, 2025.

The invitees are expected to clarify issues surrounding the implementation of the defunct Anchor Borrowers Programme in the State.

Recall that the Assembly had commenced investigation following the petition received from the victims of the programmes, whose personal fund were illegally deducted by the Wema Bank without benefiting from the programme.

The decision was reached at its sitting held at the Assembly Complex, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, on Wednesday, where the Committee directed Wema Bank Plc to provide a detailed report of disbursements made under the programme, including the list of service providers, total funds released and relevant supporting documents.

The Committee at the meeting which had in attendance the State Commissioner for Agriculture, Mr. Bolu Owootomo, directed the bank to contact the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and copy its Abeokuta branch to supply a verified list of all beneficiaries of the scheme to the Assembly for further deliberation.

Hon. Owode said that the Committee on Public Accounts and Anti-Corruption would collaborate with the Agriculture Committee in course of the investigation, given the fact that it concerned disbursement of public funds.