July 09, (THEWILL) – The All Farmers’ Association of Nigeria (AFAN), Imo State chapter, has attributed the hike in prices of food items in the market to a lack of assistance from the present administration of Governor Hope Uzodimma.
Chairman of the group, Ayo Enwerem, disclosed this during the distribution of farm seedlings to farmers, which, according to him, was donated by the Commissioner for Local Government & Chieftaincy Affairs, Hon. Rubby Emele.
Enwerem, who spoke at the AFAN State Secretariat, along Okigwe road, Owerri, while addressing members on Friday, however, recalled that during the first year of Sen. Uzodimma, farmers in the state were given bags of fertilizer free of charge.
“This programme is aimed at distributing inputs such as castor seeds, cassava stems, bags of fertilizer, and rice seeds to Imo farmers as part of marking our 2023 farming and cropping season.
“This Government has not been supportive of Imo farmers. We want prices of food items to reduce in the State. We are trying to support the producers in order to overcome food insecurity in the State,” he said.
When our roving reporter visited the Ministry of Agriculture & Natural Resources, the Commissioner, Hon Cosmas Madugba, was not on seat.
The Director for Farming in the Ministry, Mr. Innocent Ibigwe, however, declined to comment, saying the Commissioner should talk on that issue.
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