Agriculture
Suspected Vandals Disrupt Work At Cassava Factory
The fabrication of various processing equipment at a cassava processing factory in Umuahia has been disrupted following an attack on the factory by suspected vandals in the area.
The Proprietor of the factory, located at Ubaha in Umuahia North Local Government Area of Abia, Eze Philip Ajomiwe, told newsmen in his palace recently that the facility was vandalised on January 23.
Ajomiwe, a renowned cassava farmer and the traditional ruler of Oriendu Autonomous Community, claimed that the vandals also attacked and damaged some sections of his palace, situated close to the factory.
He said that the attack had grounded the project being sponsored by the Raw Materials Research and Development Council of Nigeria.
The Tide reports that four vehicles, a computer set and other farming machines, a satellite dish, a borehole and a section of the factory and palace, worth several millions of naira, were vandalised.
Ajomiwe explained that three of the fabricators, who came from Lagos to do the job and also train 10 natives in the skill and operation of the machines, fled the community, in the wake of the attack.
“I had arranged for the fabricators to train some of our people on the job but they had hardly arrived at the palace when the youths invaded the place.
“They were smuggled out of the palace into safety to avoid being attacked by the rampaging youths,” he said.
He said that the fleeing workers had demanded that an apartment be rented for them outside the community before they would return to forestall possible attack.
The monarch alleged that the miscreants took advantage of “a family disagreement’’ between him and his son, to attack him.
He said that he went into hiding to escape being lynched by the “rampaging youths’’.
Ajomiwe explained that he was rescued and taken to Umuahia, by a team of anti-riot mobile policemen, deployed to the area with an Armoured Personnel Carrier, to quell the attack.
He alleged that his assailants were members of a gang that specialised in pipeline vandalism and gambling in the area.
He contended that the vandals took advantage of the squabble in his family to avenge his avowed war against pipeline vandalism.
The monarch further alleged that the vandals were sponsored by his detractors who, he said, were opposed to his emergence as the traditional ruler of the area in 2001.
Meanwhile, the Oriendu Autonomous Community Development Union has warned the monarch’s detractors to desist, henceforth from the plot and threat to the life of its traditional ruler.
This warning is contained in a statement jointly signed by the community’s traditional Prime Minister and Village Head, Chief Paul Anyalewechi and Chief Omeoga Omeoga, in Umuahia.
“We shall no longer tolerate the incessant manufacturing of lies against our traditional ruler. Enough is enough,’’ it stated.
Chief Emeka Ejiogu, representing Umuahia North Constituency in Abia House of Assembly, who was fingered by the monarch as one of his nemesis, denied sponsoring the attack on him.
Ejiogu, who spoke with newsmen in his Oriendu country home on Wednesday, however, admitted leading a campaign for the dethronement of the monarch.
He also admitted that he had convened several meetings in his house in pursuance of the cause.
“Ajomiwe should resign or we will dethrone him through a plebiscite,” he said, arguing that the monarch had become “unpopular’’ among his people,” Ejiogu said.
Federal Government and the Ogun State Government, on Wednesday, distributed farm inputs to farmers as part of effort to address food security challenge.
The State Director, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Dr. Toyin Ayo-Ajayi, during the flag-off ceremony of Inputs Redemption Under The National Agricultural Growth Scheme-Agro Pocket (NAGS-AP), in Ogun State, disclosed that beneficiaries of the gesture were primarily rice, maize and cassava farmers across the State.
Ayo-Ajayi commended the Ogun State Government for partnering with the government at the centre for the effort in supporting farmers with inputs that would bring about yieldings for local consumption and likely exportation.
She noted that government is supporting rice, cassava and maize farmers with inputs worth N212,000; N189,000 and N186,000 respectively.
The Permanent Secretary in the State Ministry of Agriculture, Mrs Kehinde Jokotoye, who represented the Commissioner in the Ministry, Bolu Owotomo, stated that traditional farmers are critical in food production, hence the need to encourage and support them with inputs that would bring about desired results during harvesting.
Owotomo said: “Let us make good use of this opportunity, so that the success of this phase will make farmers benefit more from the state and federal governments of Nigeria.”
Earlier, State Coordinator, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Dr. Oluwatoyin Ayo-Ajayi, appreciated the present administration for partnering with the federal government for the initiative, adding that the programme is designed to support farmers at the grassroots level in cassava, rice and maize with inputs such as, seeds, pesticides, herbicides and fertilizers, to boost their production and enhance their livelihood.
The Niger State Government has mapped out 10,000 hectares of farmland in Gbapo Community of Katcha Local Government Area of the State for smallholder farmers to benefit from the state government’s agricultural intervention programme.
Two thousand out of the 10,000 holders of the farmlands have already received inputs.
At a flag-off ceremony in Yinti Village, the facilitator of the programme, Shinkafan Nupe, Malam Idris Usman Makanta, assured the farmers of increased distributions to the mapped-out ten thousand (10,000) farmlands if farmers respond positively.
He explained that the commencement of the two thousand is to measure the positive response of farmers before obtaining full-scale support.
Malam Makanta stated that this initiative aligns with the farmers’ initial commitment through Niger Foods, whose mission is primarily geared towards establishing efficient and profitable agricultural businesses to support the present administration of Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago’s quest to boost agricultural productivity in the state.
He also commended Niger Foods for their steadfastness and resilience in the effective implementation of the input financing scheme.
Makanta reiterated the commitment of the State Governor in making judicious use of the arable land in the state.
Shinkafan Nupe, therefore, urged the farmers to support the Governor by using the inputs wisely so that the dream can be actualised.
The Gombe State Government has empowered a total of 573,429 farmers and entrepreneurs under the 4th phase of the GO-CARES programme.
The programme was officially flagged off by Governor Inuwa Yahaya in another major step towards alleviating poverty and supporting the state’s vulnerable populations.
The Governor, while inaugurating the disbursement in Akko Community of Akko Local Government Area, restated his administration’s commitment to the welfare of vulnerable citizens in the state.
He was represented by the Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, Salihu Baba Alkali, who is also the Chairman of the Steering Committee on GO- CARES implementation.
“The 4th phase of GO-CARES will directly and indirectly impact a total of 573,429 citizens across the state. Of these, 152,429 individuals will benefit directly through cash transfers, livelihood grants, agricultural inputs, and operational grants to small businesses”, he stated.
The Governor added that, “421,000 people will be indirect beneficiaries through infrastructural projects such as classroom blocks, healthcare facilities, WASH services, and rural infrastructure projects like culverts and drainages”.
Yahaya, reaffirmed his commitment to ensuring that the state’s most vulnerable citizens are not left behind in the state’s development.
According to him, “Earlier this year, on June 25, 2024, we flagged off the distribution of improved seedlings, fertilizers, and herbicides to less privileged farmers in Malam Sidi, Kwami Local Government Area, signaling the commencement of the 4th phase implementation of GO-CARES under Result Area 2”.
The Governor reiterated that these initiatives have had a significant impact on the livelihoods of beneficiaries and the overall agricultural sector.
He explained that, “Today’s ceremony marked the simultaneous launch of activities under all three GO-CARES Result Areas for the 4th phase. These areas include: State Cash Transfer Grants: 2,500 direct beneficiaries; Labour Intensive Public Works: 2,700 direct beneficiaries; Livelihood Grants: 10,000 direct beneficiaries; and Basic Services: 405,000 indirect beneficiaries”.
