Brave Dickson
Some farmers in Rivers State have taken a swipe at the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), describing the commission’s statement as nothing but a lie.
The commission had in a statement claimed to have trained thousands of farmers from the region on modernized agriculture.
Representing the commission’s Interim Administrator at an award ceremony organized by the Catfish and Allied Fish Farmers Association of Nigeria in Rivers State, the NDDC Director on Agriculture and Fisheries, Felix Amorue said over 15,000 youths and women had been trained by NDDC on agricultural businesses.
But a community leader and farmer from Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area of the state, Ikechuku Ojoba maintained that NDDC has not trained anybody from the Niger Delta region on agriculture.
He said, “NDDC is only busy embarking on endless roads and other projects.
“If NDDC has been training Niger Delta farmers, we would have known. Don’t mind what NDDC goes to the media to tell the public that they are doing for farmers, we have not seen anything the commission has done for farmers.”
Another farmer and National President of Commercial Farmers and Agro-Allied Producers of Nigeria, Amadi Fidelis told our correspondent that NDDC has not implemented any programme for farmers in the Niger Delta.
According to him, mechanized commercial farming is what the region needs to be food sufficient, adding that farmers are still lacking behind due to zero training.
“When claiming to have trained some farmers, the commission should back its claims with statistical evidence.
“As far as we the genuine farmers are concerned, NDDC has not trained farmer’s,” he said.
