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FARMERS VISITED BUT NOT ASSISTED

Recently the Minister of Agriculture was represented in Benin City, Edo State by his Chief Technical adviser Mr. Martins Fregene. In the visit, he thanked the Edo Farmers for being patient for so long. And that now, the federal government has promised to assist Edo farmers under the program tag “AGRICULTURAL TRANSFORMATION AGENDA” (ATA) with the five following topics.

i.                     Growth enhancement support

ii.                   Market operation

iii.                  Product guarantee laws, protecting farmers goods and services

iv.                 Federal government/state government partnership

v.                   Staple crop processing zone

He also thanked the Edo Farmers for the way they have conducted themselves honourably. The minister confidently told them that from all the states he has visited he has not seen the large turn up like he has experienced in Edo State. He thanked the Edo State Farmers Agency for the good work they have done, by organizing all farmers in the state into co-operative societies and co-operative unions. The questions Edo farmers are asking now is when should the farmers be expecting these promised assistance? And why should the farmers be confident that these promises will actually materialized? Seeing to the fact that promises like this earlier given failed. And also caused the farmers to loose a lot because thy believed and waited for such expected help that never come.

We want the government of the day to realize the fact that no matter what may, Agriculture remain the only sustainable source of revenue any country can confide in, hence toiling with this sector at this critical time when there is economic crisis around the globe today, can lead to more crime breeding. Therefore the various farmers unions in the state should be given the opportunity to represent their people effectively. And the comrade governor should be sure that before he give assistance to any organization that speculates that they are farmers, he should let the quotation in the Bible which says “test every spirit to know if they are actually from God” the Ovia North East Local Government Area Farmers Multi-purpose Co-operative Union Limited for instance has been given a space of land of about 100 Hectares in the Okokhuo axis of the local council area to cultivate, this 2012 farming season.

This is a visible fact that can be thoroughly investigated. The beauty of this information is that it is one mile square land area that the union requested for. But for the matter of authenticity sake (the ministry in charge promised to complete the one mile square if the 100 Hectares is properly utilized) on this foundation we request that if the state government really wants to support farmers in the state, such foundation like the one set up by the Ovia Local Government Area Farmers Multi-purpose Co-operative Union as this is a solid foundation to emulate.