For a refund of seedling rice worth millions of Leones, a cross section of Kailahun farmers have planned a big demonstration against the agriculture and food security ministry in Kailahun District.
One farmer, Lansana Lamin, explained that last year the district director for the ministry requested seedlings from them on loan to be refunded in cash in three weeks’ time.
He further explained that since then the process had been dragging on for over a year now, but however confirmed that 50% of the refund had been honoured.
Farmer Lamin maintained that, “if the remaining 50% is not honoured before the end of this month, we will storm the office of the director”.
The director of agriculture and food security in Kailahun, Philip Conteh, when contacted admitted owing the farmers Le 90,000,000 (ninety million Leones) since last year.
He also confirmed that, “the refunds are ready for each district affected,” but laid the blame on bureaucratic red tape.
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