Gbi-Kledzo (VR), Aug. 17, GNA - One thousand and thirty farmers in the Hohoe District have benefited from loans totalling one billion six hundred and forty-six thousand cedis from the government since last year.

Out of the number 240 farmers received 146 million cedis from the Senior Minister's Special Assistance to Farmers, 160 had 500 million cedis from the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA) Special Assistance to farmers, while 630 were also given one billion cedis from the Village Infrastructure Project.

Mr Samuel Dzebu, Hohoe District Director of MOFA said this at a ceremony at Gbi-Kledzo when the local Agbelengor Co-operative Oil Processing/Farmers and Marketing Society was presented with a certificate.

He said 340 farmers would soon benefit from 1.5 billion cedis from the Farmers Day Organisation Fund of the MOFA.

Mr Dzebu said apart from the farmers who benefited from the Senior Minister's Special Assistance Fund the rest were supplied with Agricultural inputs including power tillers.

He urged farmers in the district to form cooperatives to enable them to qualify for credit facilities. Mr Dzebu, however, deplored the slow pace of repayment of the credit facilities granted to rice farmers in spite of the bumper harvests last year.

He said of the 200 million cedis granted them only 35 per cent had repaid their loans.

Mr Felix Ampomah-Kusi, Volta Regional Cooperative Officer advised executives not to lord it over members but to cultivate a spirit of oneness and transparency in their activities to enable them to succeed in their operations.