Ogun state farmers clear air on ownership of 200-hectare rice farmland, describes news report as misinformation

Abdu-Baaqi Adenekan (Intern)

The Ogun State farmers under the aegis of Alubarika Farmers Cluster has faulted claim in social media that the government has been insensitive to the production and harvesting of rice at the 200-hectare rice farm located at Magboro in Obafemi-Owode local government area of the state.

Penpushing reports that the chairman for the Hausa community of Alubarika Rice farmers, Bello Saraki made the clarifications while speaking with journalists at the farmland, pointing out that contrary to the fake report, government has been supportive right from the start of the rice farm project.

The chairman emphasized that the report credited to a media organization was a clear misinformation, explaining that when the project started government provided 50% for procurement of tractors, fertilizers and other relevant materials

“I saw some social media posting online that said the government did not help farmers. That isn’t true because the farm you’re looking at everybody has their own farm there. We have Yoruba, Igbo and Hausa farmers here on our farm’, he said.

‘When they started this rice farm, the government supported us 50% in the process of providing tractors, fertilizers and other things and the farmers covered the remaining 50%. When the farmers are unable to pay the 50% for the fertilizers, I gave N30 million to them to share and get the fertilizers and products needed for their farm”, Saraki said.

Penpushing further reports that the chairman for the Hausa community explained that the body reached out to the government and Young Agro services when the rice was ready to be harvested

“After I saw that the rice was ready to be harvested, I called the young Agro services and reached out to the government. The government provided 3 harvesters and covered 65% of the work while each farmer was entitled to contribute 35%.’, he stated.

‘I saw online that a media organization has claimed the government did not help us with what we are doing on this rice farm, whereas the government has helped us with everything here. I even keep reaching out to the government to please do more help so Nigeria can be free of this hunger people are talking about’.

‘If you look at this farm you can see that the government has supported us drastically and people should stop lying that the government hasn’t supported us. We have 200 members who did their registration and we have their names, and each of them covers 1 hectare each” he added.

Penpushing also reports that the treasurer for the Alubarika Farmers Cluster in charge of collating the managed subsidy given to them by the government further explained that the government offered 65%  of the work and the farmers covered the remaining 35 percent adding that their farmers are trained.

“The government did 65 percent of the work and we farmers did the remaining. They subsidized on machines, chemicals, fertilizers, insecticides and they have also provided us with combined harvesters. Our farmers have also been trained by the Young Agro services and the Agri-Q which was done for free”, she said.

Penpushing reports that the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Young Agro services, Ajibola Johnson in his remarks affirmed the support of the project on the 200-hectare rice farm.

“I am the CEO of the Young Agro service enterprise and I am also the President of all Youth Farmers Associations in Ogun State. I was given the opportunity to work in Ikenne zone, Obafemi- Owode, Sagamu, Ijebu North, Remo North’.

‘We have also done a lot starting from plying, spraying, planting not only rice, cassava, maize, bean, tomatoes, and I am the one providing all. On this farm that we are, The Alubarika farm there are 200 hectares of rice farm and I have been providing services to this enterprise since last year’.

‘I have done over 1,000 hectares for Ogun state alone this year and I did the same last year too and in September last year I was given this contract by the Ogun state government” he said.

Penpushing further reports that he explained that the Ogun state government has promised to construct a road leading to the farm from the express road and also promised to expand the land in order to reduce food insecurity.

“The Ogun state government has promised to do the road from express road to this farm. Due to what we are performing on this land the Ogun state government was moved, and also promised to expand the land. On Monday, I was called to the governor’s office to renew my contract because of this special ground and to expand this farm for Ogun people to reduce food insecurity”, he added.

Penpushing also reports that the he stressed that after they did the work, the government came and brought a drone to confirm what they have done so far, adding that having being satisfied the contract fee was paid and grant offered to farmers.

“By next week before Thursday or Friday I will show you the outcome of the rice and when you see the rice you will see it’s not different from foreign rice and the process, because we have highly equipped equipment like color sorter and the rest.

‘The 65 percent is a grant to farmers and many farmers over 1000 farmers have registered and on Monday I was asked if I have the capacity to work on the 2000 hectares and I replied yes. I have ten tractors, and concerning the road they are on it” he added.

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