Edo To Revoke Illegally Acquired Farmlands

Edo State government has said all illegally acquired farmlands by some companies in the state would be revoked.

The deputy governor, Rt. Hon. Dennis Idahosa, who stated this in Benin on Friday when he received members of the Association of Cocoa Farmers, said that some of the farmlands were acquired by proxy.

In a statement by his chief press secretary, Mr Friday Aghedo, the deputy governor assured that due process would be followed at retrieving such lands back to the owners.

He particularly commended members of the association from Ovia South-West and Ovia North-East local government areas of the state for being law-abiding in spite of the seeming challenges.

Idahosa reaffirmed the campaign promises of Governor Monday Okpebholo to farmers, maintaining that their welfare was of topmost priority to the government.

He also reminded them that having campaigned in the 18 local government areas of the state, the governor was aware of farmers’ socio-economic contributions to their LGAs and the state in general.

He stated that by paying their taxes regularly to the state government, nobody would be able to take away their lands and due dividends.

Idahosa highlighted that the government was putting things in place to minimise farmer/herders clashes as well as doing everything possible to make sure that the lives of its citizens are secured.

Earlier, the cocoa farmers led by Mr Bello Osaretin had alleged that some civil servants from the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security were conniving with some Chinese to sell the Ohosu and Okomu forest reserve.

He claimed that over 40 major communities presently occupied by farmers in Ovia South West would cease to exist if the present administration fails to intervene.