From Audu Joe, Lokoja
The traditional ruler of Felele community in Lokoja, Shaba of Felele, Alhaji Musa Abdulkadir has expressed worry over the poor method of distribution and sale of agricultural inputs and seedlings to farmers in Kogi state.
As a result of the development, Alhaji Musa Abdulkadir appealed to the State Ministry of Agriculture and Kogi Agricultural Development Project (ADP), to involve traditional rulers in the exercise to ensure equitable distribution of the commodities.
In an interview with Our Correspondent at his palace in Felele, a suburb of Lokoja, on Monday, the royal father pointed out that the inputs like fertilisers, herbicides, pesticides, water pumping machines and seedlings were given or sold to none farmers than the actual ones.
He also alleged that apart from hoarding the commodities by some persons to be sold to merchants from other states, the distribution of the remnants were done secretly and corruptly in favour of few rich that can afford at exorbitant prices.
” For justice and fair play, the commodities should be distributed directly through the traditional rulers who know the farmers in their various communities . As community leaders, we know our subjects and their occupations, their farms and residences”. Shaba said.
The traditional ruler noted that the zeal of the farmers could be ebbed if at the end, inputs, seedlings and other necessary farming equipments didn’t reach them.
He said that COVID-19 Pandemic coupled with the activities of kidnappers and bandits might have affected the last harvest resulting in high cost of food prices.
He noted that with the return of normalcy in Kogi state, farmers are eager to engage themselves seriously on their farming business and should therefore, be encouraged by multiplying the inputs, seedlings , tractors and other farming implements at affordable prices or to even be given free of charge.
Alhaji Abdulkadir also advised farmers across the state not to relent in setting up of agricultural committees for their various communities headed by traditional rulers to ensure peace among farmers and oversee security on their farms.