Rural farmers in Ishielu local government area of Ebonyi State have alleged the distribution of fertilisers and other farm inputs by the council chairman, Mrs. Peace Agwu, to political cronies, friends and relations.
They said her action denied the real farmers access to the inputs provided by Governor Francis Nwifuru.
The farmers told LEADERSHIP after the distribution of the fertiliser and farm inputs at the council headquarters in Ezillo that over 95% of the beneficiaries were political office holders, political stakeholders of the councils, relations of the council chairman and well to do individuals in the local government.
The spokesperson of the farmers, Mr. Friday Ali, said the farmers have resolved to write a petition to the governor on the treatment meted out on the genuine rural farmers in the council, adding that those who benefitted are not known farmers in the area.
“It is disheartening that the State Governor as part of effort to boast food production in the State will provide fertilisers and other farm inputs for genuine farmers, the items will be shared to people who do not have farmlands or intend to do so.
“The good intentions of the state governor is being jeopardised by political office holders who receives the farm inputs, assemble their political cronies, friends and well to do individuals in the local government and distribute the items to them.
“We that are not politicians are denied the fertilisers and the farm inputs because we don’t have anyone to speak for us. We want to appeal to the governor through the Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources to ensure strict monitoring of the distribution to forestall a reoccurrence,” he said.
Meanwhile, Nwali has said she set up a taskforce to monitor the distributed agriculture inputs to rural farmers to boost food security in the area.
Nwali, who expressed her administration’s renewed commitment to improve on food security and agricultural productivity, made the declaration at Onueke after the commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources, Princess Nkechinyere Iyioku, officially flagged off the distribution of farm inputs for the 2025 wet farming season.
“It is an economic sabotage for one to receive fertiliser from government with the aim of using it in the farm only to take it to the market, sell them off while those who needs it will end up buying them at a very high cost.”
He noted that the council boss has the interest of the masses at heart and will go all out to ensure that the people benefits from the good gestures of the state governor and commended the governor for making the farm inputs available for distribution.
off the distribution of farm inputs for the 2025 wet farming season.
She applauded Governor Nwifuru for prioritizing agriculture and pledged strict monitoring to ensure that the farm inputs are used effectively and reach the right beneficiaries during the exercise which brought together stakeholders, traditional rulers, farmers, and government officials,
According to her, the distributed items including fertilizers, improved rice seeds, and agrochemicals were provided through the support of the Ebonyi State Government under Governor Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru’s agricultural development initiative.
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