Editorial: A'Ibom Local Government Chairmen Should Return To Farm

Mr Frank Archibong

Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs

The food scarcity crisis is well known to everyone in Nigeria. Staple foods such as garri, yam, rice, beans and even vegetables such as tomato which are everyday requirements in kitchens have gone beyond the reach of the poor.

In itself this suggests real difficulties for many Nigerians that are jobless or under-employed because it has become increasingly hard for people to have just one meal a day.

It is pathetic that in a situation where people have lost their Jobs, businesses closed down and people don't even have jobs, cost of food could skyrocket to the dreadful levels we are currently witnessing. It should bother leaders with conscience to think about how the poor and vulnerable members of the society are able to afford three cups of garri at the rate of N200, one cup of rice for between N120 to N180, one cup of beans at N130. How much of this will large families  have to  buy to meet their needs. This is truly alarming.

Mr Iniobong Robson -ALGON Chairman Akwa Ibom State

The Eyes has taken notice of the measures being taken by the Akwa Ibom state government to produce more food in the state. The governor, Deacon Udom Emmanuel in his own way has expressed the desire in producing more food in the state but the effort so far has not changed the situation, as most of the foods eaten in Akwa Ibom state are brought in from other state

The Eyes is unhappy that the cost of food is still very high and the average Akwa Ibom citizens cannot afford a decent meal.There is a need for more action to be taken to deal with the present state of affairs

The Commissioner for Agriculture, Dr. Glory Edet seems to be working hard to improve the lean content of the state's food basket. She has done so much of the propaganda in support of agriculture and food production in government owned news outlets. We have, through the sponsored news items of the ministry of agriculture seen people who say they are farmers receiving seedlings and other farm inputs. 

All Farmers Association of Nigeria ( AFAN) Chairman in the state is always in the news speaking about the collaborations of his group and the commissioner for agriculture and how this has empowered a lot of farmers whose inputs will lead to  huge harvest and drive down cost of food stuffs.

But if this has not happened from last planting season in 2020 till now and Akwa Ibomites have to buy garri and other staple foods at very exorbitant prices, the people of this state need more answers and they should not be denied it.

Truth be told, the foods and vegetables currently produced in the state are not sufficient because if we go by the elementary economic laws of  demand and supply, the abundance of any product has the immediate effect of flooding the market and pulling down any existent high price.

Dr. Glory Edet needs to go back to the grassroots and work with Council Chairmen to change the current precarious  food situation in the state.

It is clear that most farmers in the state cannot produce beyond the subsistence level and this is as a result of the little portions of land they have. No matter the interest they have in agriculture, they will never be able to produce food above the capacity of the land in their possession

Agriculture cannot achieve its ultimate expectations of producing food in abundance in Akwa Ibom state  unless the issue of land is well and fully addressed.

Now that the biting economy and food scarcity is a reality to most Akwa Ibom citizens and we have noticed the interest of more people in farming in order to beat the biting hunger, the time for government to take a major decision through the local government channel is now.

The state government should enforce the Land Use Law, to enable local government chairmen acquire as much land as will make it possible to practice mechanized farming. This done and the local government chairmen establish the  crops in which they have comparative advantage, they can now direct adequate funding to it.

The Eyes believe that in the current situation where more persons are interested in agriculture due to food scarcity, it may not be difficult to attract youths to this large farms that will eventually produce more food and drive down prices.

The Eyes believe that local government chairmen have the key to solve the food scarcity problems of Akwa Ibom if they find the political will to do it.

The food scarcity crisis is well known to everyone in Nigeria. Staple foods such as garri, yam, rice, beans and even vegetables such as tomato which are everyday requirements in kitchens have gone beyond the reach of the poor.

In itself this suggests real difficulties for many Nigerians that are jobless or under-employed because it has become increasingly hard for people to have just one meal a day.

It is pathetic that in a situation where people have lost their Jobs, businesses closed down and people don't even have jobs, cost of food could skyrocket to the dreadful levels we are currently witnessing. It should bother leaders with conscience to think about how the poor and vulnerable members of the society are able to afford three cups of garri at the rate of N200, one cup of rice for between N120 to N180, one cup of beans at N130. How much of this will large families  have to  buy to meet their needs. This is truly alarming.

The Eyes has taken notice of the measures being taken by the Akwa Ibom state government to produce more food in the state. The governor, Deacon Udom Emmanuel in his own way has expressed the desire in producing more food in the state but the effort so far has not changed the situation, as most of the foods eaten in Akwa Ibom state are brought in from other state

The Eyes is unhappy that the cost of food is still very high and the average Akwa Ibom citizens cannot afford a decent meal.There is a need for more action to be taken to deal with the present state of affairs

The Commissioner for Agriculture, Dr. Glory Edet seems to be working hard to improve the lean content of the state's food basket. She has done so much of the propaganda in support of agriculture and food production in government owned news outlets. We have, through the sponsored news items of the ministry of agriculture seen people who say they are farmers receiving seedlings and other farm inputs. 

All Farmers Association of Nigeria ( AFAN) Chairman in the state is always in the news speaking about the collaborations of his group and the commissioner for agriculture and how this has empowered a lot of farmers whose inputs will lead to  huge harvest and drive down cost of food stuffs.

But if this has not happened from last planting season in 2020 till now and Akwa Ibomites have to buy garri and other staple foods at very exorbitant prices, the people of this state need more answers and they should not be denied it.

Truth be told, the foods and vegetables currently produced in the state are not sufficient because if we go by the elementary economic laws of  demand and supply, the abundance of any product has the immediate effect of flooding the market and pulling down any existent high price.

Dr. Glory Edet needs to go back to the grassroots and work with Council Chairmen to change the current precarious  food situation in the state.

It is clear that most farmers in the state cannot produce beyond the subsistence level and this is as a result of the little portions of land they have. No matter the interest they have in agriculture, they will never be able to produce food above the capacity of the land in their possession

Agriculture cannot achieve its ultimate expectations of producing food in abundance in Akwa Ibom state  unless the issue of land is well and fully addressed.

Now that the biting economy and food scarcity is a reality to most Akwa Ibom citizens and we have noticed the interest of more people in farming in order to beat the biting hunger, the time for government to take a major decision through the local government channel is now.

The state government should enforce the Land Use Law, to enable local government chairmen acquire as much land as will make it possible to practice mechanized farming. This done and the local government chairmen establish the  crops in which they have comparative advantage, they can now direct adequate funding to it.

The Eyes believe that in the current situation where more persons are interested in agriculture due to food scarcity, it may not be difficult to attract youths to this large farms that will eventually produce more food and drive down prices.

The Eyes believe that local government chairmen have the key to solve the food scarcity problems of Akwa Ibom if they find the political will to do it.