 |
|
| Author |
 Topic  |
|
|
toubab1020
12242 Posts |
 Posted - 21 Dec 2020 : 11:34:10
|
RELATED TOPICS:
https://www.gambia.dk/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=17283
https://www.gambia.dk/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=17277
==========
Insufficient Cash Hinders Groundnut Buying At Njau Secco
https://foroyaa.net/insufficient-cash-hinders-groundnut-buying-at-njau-secco/
By Kebba Secka December 18, 2020
Authorities at the Njau Secco in CRR North have confirmed to this reporter that daily insufficient cash disbursements, is hindering the buying of groundnuts at their Secco. The Secco authorities said a limited amount of about one hundred thousand dalasi is usually given to them each day for onward payment to farmers who bring their nuts at the Secco.
When enquiries were made by this reporter, he was told by the Secco authorities that the amount given to them for that particular day, was exhausted and they will only get money for continuation of payment to farmers, the next day.
Farmers who brought in their groundnuts after the money was finished, were seen heaping their produce within the Secco’s premises for the next day. During this period, the Secco Manager and Qmoney officers present did nothing, because of the unavailability of money. However, one Secco authority said they can buy tons of groundnuts in a day, if adequate money was given to them.
Another authority of the Secco said more than one million dalasi worth of groundnuts was bought in less than a week and anticipates that a successful trade season will be realized this year because of the nuts that is forthcoming from farmers within the area.
According to the Secco authorities, Government’s adjustment of the groundnuts price has affected middlemen who earlier dominated the weekly markets within the locality, because of the low price earlier announced; that most farmers appreciated the new and adjusted price, but dislike the slow process of cash payments to them.
A major concern raised by farmers is the early disbursement of fertilizer to the farming community. They said this will enable them buy the quantity they want for their next farming season.
However, on examining the cause of the ineffectiveness of the Qmoney Service, the Secco authorities opined that the one day training given to officers who facilitate the payment of cash at Seccos, was insufficient; that they could have been better trained in order to be more qualified in speeding up the payment process. He appealed to the concern authorities to adequately sensitize farmers on their partnership with Qmoney and Agib Bank, so that they can better understand the value attached to these services; that initially, is was difficult to convince farmers on the need to present their National Identity documents, because it was new and they were not enlightened enough about this.
The Secco authorities said farmers no longer sell their nuts across the border since the adjustment of the groundnut price by Government; that instead it is farmers from Senegal who live across the Gambian border, who bring in their nuts into the country because of the newly adjusted price, which is better than what obtains in Senegal; that Senegal buys at the same equivalent amount of twenty one thousand dalasi and that middlemen along the border, buy between twenty three and twenty four thousand dalasi (D23, 000 – D24, 000), which leave no difference in prices with the one set by Government. This he said has encouraged Gambian farmers to sell their produce in their own country.
Fatou Ceesay who was found winnowing groundnuts on their farm, said she and her husband cultivated hectares of groundnuts and this year’s season has been successful for them.
Asked by this reporter whether they will sell their groundnuts in the country, she answered that they will not sell their nuts early because the Chinese in Senegal have not started buying; that they will keep their groundnuts until the Chinese in Senegal start buying and compare and choose the best price for them.
|
"Simple is good" & I strongly dislike politics. You cannot defend the indefensible.
|
Edited by - toubab1020 on 21 Dec 2020 11:42:10 |
|
|
toubab1020
12242 Posts |
Posted - 23 Dec 2020 : 12:12:31
|
https://foroyaa.net/ggc-debunks-claims-of-cash-shortage-at-seccos/
By Kebba Secka and Kebba Mamburrey on December 22, 2020
The Managing Director of the Gambia Groundnuts Cooperative Company, Muhammed Njie, has refuted claims that there is shortage of cash with the Secco (buying point and store) Managers.
Director Njie made the rebuttal in an interview at his office on Monday 21st December, 2020.
On Monday 14th December, Foroyaa visited Njau and Panchang seccos, all in Upper Saloum District, where Agib bank officials on the ground together with the Secco managers said they were not paying because of cash inadequacy.
The president of the Secco managers, Mr Nyangado, was contacted during the same period via telephone and he confirmed cash inadequacy in other seccos. He also confirmed to have received complaints of the same scenario from managers in other seccos.
Two different managers also confirmed to this medium that they could buy more than what they are buying if enough cash is provided.
When all these were put to him, Managing Director Njie summed them up as total false, arguing that the claimants (referring to secco managers) aren’t too happy with the company’s partnership with AGIB bank to ensure payment of groundnuts are sold on the spot.
“This year, we thought it is a high risk to be giving cash without seccos to have the governance structure or bank account. So we see that the bulk of the monies spent for buying groundnuts in the previous years are not received in return as expected. So we decided to change the approach and partner with Agib Bank to be available at all Secco and pay farmers on the spot,” he said.
Njie alleged that the managers are the ones blaming the new development (i.e. buying on the spot) in the trade season because they are not allowed to handle the money as they used to do in the past.
According to him, this is the reason for what he described as sabotage in the trade season.
Commenting on how money is disbursed to various buying points, Njie said there is no specific amount given to each Secco. Instead, he said the performance of seccos determine the amount of money to be given.
“The amount given varies, because cash is difficult to handle. We analyse their buying capacities to determine how much to supply them. In some seccos, we sent one hundred thousand, four hundred thousand and even one million dalasi,” he said.
Njie further alleged that the unpleasant news from the buying points is mainly from the managers who wanted to do the payment themselves. He thus appealed for all stakeholders to unilaterally aim for a successful trade season as they are all important and none of them could succeed without the other.
Speaking further, Njie explained that another development he initiated in the best interest of the farmers is the electronic weighing, which reads out the kilograms immediately the bags are placed on the scale.
This, according to him, also runs contrary to the appreciation of the managers as they want the manual scales to be maintained.
“These are all facts that I do not want to say out as it seem to tarnish their image but I have to do it because of their reaction,” Njie asserted.
MD Njie said some of the managers who were reluctant to report to their secco at the beginning of the season as a protest were scared with the introduction of the electronic scales. He said the service of the electronic scales does not need much man power because it is easy to handle.
The MD was quick to add that the electronic scales were not meant for roll out this year, but its introduction was a demonstration of how the company is prepared to operate in accountability. He said the manual scales may be replaced by electronic ones next year in all buying points. |
"Simple is good" & I strongly dislike politics. You cannot defend the indefensible.
|
 |
|
| |
Topic |
|
|
|
| Bantaba in Cyberspace |
© 2005-2024 Nijii |
|
|
|
SECCO runs out of money !
