pannigeriannews 
The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State has expressed serious concern over what it described as Governor Seyi Makinde’s growing habit of converting vast farmlands, actively used by farmers, into residential estates, warning that this practice could significantly aggravate the ongoing food crisis and deepen hunger across the state.
Makinde’s administration has recently come under heavy criticism over the commercialisation and alleged sale of valuable state-owned lands and properties. There have also been controversies surrounding the acquisition of lands belonging to private individuals, families, and organisations, actions the government claims are in the “overriding public interest.”
ADVERTISEMENT
In a statement made available to newsmen at the weekend by the party’s Publicity Secretary, Olawale Sadare, Oyo APC condemned the reported destruction of economic tree crops belonging to local farmers in parts of Akinyele and Ido Local Government Areas. It alleged that some estate developers, acting on behalf of the state government, were responsible for clearing these farmlands, depriving local farmers of their livelihood.
“The rate at which the present PDP administration in Oyo State is inflicting hardship on the masses has reached its crescendo and we, at the APC, can no longer keep silent. On a daily basis, the Makinde administration rob the poor to further enrich the affluent few in the guise of urbanization policy and to improve internally generated revenue drive. As the agents of the state forcefully eject traders and shop or office owners from their legitimate business premises, farmers are not only being chased away from their farmlands, their growing crops and plants are destroyed to pave the way for residential buildings.
“As of last Friday, hundreds of local farmers in Idi-Igbaro and Akufo, in Ido Local Government Area, as well as their colleagues in Ajibade, Olosa-Oko, Alaase, Alagbaa, Oloje, Elekuru, Agbirigidi among other ancient settlements in Akinyele Local Government Area were thrown into colossal losses as agents of the state government had destroyed all the crops on their farmlands. Among the crops which were sacrificed for housing estates are several thousands of cocoa, cashew, mango, oil palm trees and coffee as well as arable crops such as maize, cassava, yam and vegetables.
“This happened at a time citizens face food crisis in the mode of scarcity and high cost of food commodities. While states like Niger, Borno, Kebbi and Kwara are doing so much to assist and encourage their local farmers, the PDP administration in Oyo is making life unbearable for them and our governor keeps deceiving the world that he is promoting Agribusiness. As it stands, Oyo State cannot boast of a single agricultural produce at the global market despite the vast fertile land and favourable weather which God has blessed the state with. This is shameful,” the party lamented.
About The Author
