All Farmers Association of Nigeria, AFAN, has decried the lack of adequate support from the government, alleging that the government has been insensitive to their plights.
This allegation was made against the Lagos State Government by the State Chapter of the association at its meeting which held at the Lagos State Government Ministry of Agriculture Conference Hall, Oko-Oba, Agege.
The Vice Chairman for Crops, Alh. Babatunde Bamgbala, said that the association had made several attempts to have meetings with the past Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture but was turned down repeatedly.
“The ministry rejected our letters saying they were not interested in farmers. However, we are happy that this new administration is taking agriculture seriously,” he said. The association also bemoaned their experiences during the 2014 World Food Day as they prepare for the 2015 edition, accusing the government of not catering for them.
The Deputy Secretary of the association, Mrs. Abimbola Francis narrated how her fishes and the wares of other members were damaged because there was no space allocated to them to showcase their products.
According to her, all the losses were borne by them with no compensation from the government. Another member of the association, A.S Musa from Ikorodu also decried how they made losses at the last forum due to lack of preparation for the farmers. He also said that the compensation meant for the farmers from the government never got to them.
Taking a cue from the appointment of the former Lagos State CDC Chairman as a Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on community matters, Musa proposed that an executive member of AFAN should also be appointed as Senior Special Assistant on Agriculture, if the government really wants to interface directly with the farmers.
He alleged that the ministry of agriculture has its own farmers who are not practical farmers to whom all incentives and allocations meant for the genuine farmers are given.
A member from Ikorodu North, Mrs. O. Adewunmi also declared that when she inquired from the Local Government Agriculture Department on its preparation for the forthcoming World Food Day celebration, which is scheduled to hold on November 16th, 2015, she said she was shocked to be informed that the Local Government will only sponsor four persons in the midst of hundreds of farmers in the area. She added that it was even discovered that the four persons to be sponsored were not practical farmers.
In his reaction, the State Chairman Otunba Oke narrated how AFAN in the past was refused access to host her meeting within and outside the premises of the Agriculture Development Authority.
He however said that the association would not be deterred in any way, especially by any form of distraction while promising the members that the leadership of AFAN in Lagos State would not mingle her affairs with politics.
Oke also announced to the house that the Local Government Chapter Executives would be inaugurated on November 19th, 2015 and therefore called for sponsorship from confectionery industries, agribusiness firms and individuals to support the activities of AFAN.
Meanwhile, the association expressed hope that the current administration under the leadership of Governor Akinwumi Ambode would pay more attention to the farmers.