Bayelsa Farmers Allege Neglect, Failed Investments

As governments across Nigeria intensify efforts to boost food production and tackle rising food prices, concerns are growing in Bayelsa State over the effectiveness of public investments in agriculture, with farmers and civil society groups questioning whether billions of naira spent over the years have translated into food security.

The debate resurfaced after the Bayelsa State deputy governor, Peter Pereotubo Akpe, who represented Governor Douye Diri at the Ekpetiama Clan New Yam Festival, reiterated the administration’s commitment to food security.

According to the deputy governor, the state government is advocating food security and every effort should be made to ensure that Bayelsans have enough food to eat.

However, some stakeholders said the reality on the ground does not support the government’s position.

Chairman of the Civil Liberties Organisation (CLO) in the state, Comrade David West, argued that the state was still far from achieving food security despite repeated government interventions in the agricultural sector.

“I don’t think the governor can beat his chest to say we have food security in Bayelsa. We don’t have it,” West said.

He pointed to what he described as abandoned and non-functional agricultural projects, including the fish farm at Igbogene and the cassava processing plant at Ebedebiri.

“The fish farm at Igbogene is not producing; the much talked about cassava processing plant at Ebedebiri is not functioning,” he stated.

West also revisited the controversy surrounding an alleged N8 billion agricultural loan scheme, questioning efforts to recover the funds.

“Has it been achieved? Hon. Beki Seisei should hear this, has he been able to retrieve a Kobo or even give us a modality of how to recover these monies?” he asked.

According to him, accountability remains critical if government intends to genuinely address food production challenges.

Beyond funding concerns, West alleged that some farm implements recently distributed to farmers were old and unserviceable, and further alleged that some of the equipment showed signs of deterioration.

He said, “The other day, the Ministry of Agriculture, I was there. They didn’t invite me but I was there to see for myself. I think they gave out rice paddies and what I saw the state government distributing to farmers that day at the Golden Tulip Hotel at Onopa, some of those implements, these are things they have kept in the warehouse for like how many years ago.

“Some of them are rusty, the wheelbarrows are bent.”

West also claimed that some agricultural chemicals distributed to beneficiaries had expired.

“Apart from the rice paddy, the other things I saw there, one can of insecticide, it has expired. I still have a can of it, I will bring it and I will show it to you.”

One of the beneficiaries, Miss Lisi, confirmed receiving some of the items distributed by the government and supported the concerns raised.

“He is very correct. I was one of the beneficiaries. Both the wheelbarrow and the pump to spray, all of them are not good, they have all gone bad. So he is very correct with what he said concerning the farm implements that was distributed on that day,” she said.

A concerned resident, who simply identified himself as Ikoyi from Otuabadi community in Ogbia local government area, expressed frustration over what he described as years of agricultural spending with little visible impact on rural farmers.

“From the past governors and government, they have been spending millions and billions of naira on agriculture. An elderly woman will farm for 15 years, no support.

“Government is not supporting farmers. Every government will come and say they are giving this and that,” he said.

He questioned the status of the alleged N8 billion agricultural loan recovery process.

“What happened to the N8 billion they said they formed a committee to recover the money? I think they have swept everything under the carpet,” he said.

Another resident, Mr Angel Robert, said Bayelsa possesses enormous agricultural potential but lacks the political will and implementation needed to harness it.

“Bayelsa State is blessed with sweet potato, cassava and yam, even watermelon. Everything that we put in our land, they will germinate very well,” he stated.

Robert also questioned the utilization of tractors reportedly acquired after an official agricultural trip to South Korea.

“The former Commissioner of Agriculture and even the present Agric Commissioner, they traveled to South Korea, came back with five tractors, it’s more than one year now, the tractors I have not seen. Have they even cleared one piece of land?”

“Even this present Commissioner for Agric, till today nothing to show forth,” he added.

Another resident who preferred anonymity described food security as an emergency issue requiring urgent government attention.

“Food security is an emergency. The farmers in Bayelsa, they are suffering and nobody has done anything so far.”

He also criticised the performance of the Ministry of Agriculture. No blueprint in terms of agriculture. Bayelsans are angry and we have the good soil to produce anything, name it,” he said.

For many residents, the issue is no longer about policy announcements or ceremonial distribution of farm inputs. Rather, they say the real test of government commitment to food security lies in functional projects, support for genuine farmers and measurable increases in food production across communities.