What APGA Will Do On Food Security In Edo

The Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC through the advocacy of alternative visions can lead the way for the establishment of a transparent shadow government. This in itself can yield a plethora of dividends  including the production of food and new  patterns  of consumption that can reduce pressure on the demand for foreign currency.

Privatization has become the sing-song of lazy African governments,  arising from the inefficiency of public service and public servants.

In the old Bendel State, now, Edo and Delta States, there were many government owned companies which  operated  at efficiency levels, making profit, creating jobs and income for the people, e.g Okpella Cement Factory, Bendel Flour Mill, Warake Farm, Bendel Brewery, Ugheli Glass Factory, Ethiope Publishing Company, Bendel Pharmaceutical Company, Bendel Line Transport Company, etc, were government owned and were successful in operations.

Privatization became a mood music for the serial failures  of successive governments and corrupt practices of those that were appointed to manage these companies.

The desperate desire of successive government functionaries to get rich quick at the expense of public interest is what is responsible for the hunger in the land today.

I commend the NLC and pro- democracy activists in their continuous intervention in many areas of public interest. However, the strategy for engagement should be reviewed in order to meet with the objective of any protest against government policies.

The protest against hunger led by the NLC should be led by the force of example  anchored on  successful demonstration farms owned and managed by agricultural experts that are members of NLC. If I may ask, where are the farms owned by the NLC, NLC can make food production, processing and storage as part of their responsibility to assist workers and other members of the public.

A percentage of the union  dues collected from workers can be invested in crops and animal production and managed by agricultural experts that are members of the NLC.

The production of food and any success story of agriculture development in Nigeria should be the responsibility of local and state governments.

Most state governments refused to encourage the production of food in their States and busy themselves on how they can divert the allocation of local governments.

It is hypocritical for any political party or state governor to put the blame of hunger in the land solely on the president and his political party . Governors that are joining in the protest are merely playing to the gallery and deceiving their people.

A little percentage of subsidy funds given to State government would have been enough to invest in agriculture and assist farmers in their States for massive food production and employment.

As Chairman of Uhunmwode Local Government in Edo State, we established the department of Agriculture and embarked upon the development of farms and assistance to farmers.

For local or State government to achieve massive production of food,the government must have  demonstration farms to encourage the farmers and assist the farmers with all that are required to cultivate  high yield crops and livestock.

Uhunmwode Local Government, under my leadership, assisted the farmers with oil palm seedlings and technical assistance to plant in their farms .We cultivated maize and sold to Ewu Flour Mill.

We planted over 100 hectares of oil palm plantation. Today, Uhunmwode Local Government is the only local government in Edo State with a farm that is fully owned by  government and it is the highest source of internal revenue for the local government. This is a singular achievement and it has been widely noted.

The hunger and shortage of food in Nigeria can not be blamed only on the incumbent president but also on the leadership failure of local and state governments in Nigeria.

APGA government in Edo State, under my leadership, will revolutionalise agricultural development and make food available and affordable to the people of Edo State in particular and Nigerians in general.

When campaign commences, we shall be unveiling our details on agricultural development. When a candidate comes to you with empty promises for agriculture, tell him or her to show his or her farm.

It is my desire that the protest will make meaning to governments- local, State and federal and get the appropriate response to stop the hunger in the land. Bullying of market men and women, or breaking into food stores is not the solution to the ravaging  hunger. The solution is having good government with a conscience and planning in realization that food security is a major responsibility of government.

When strangers that have never lived in the State aspire to be  the governor of people and communities that they do not know, you should understand  that they are around to turn the privilege of service into an an unholy window for self help. We have a duty to resist the pernicious  offerings of  these power mongers . They have destroyed much of the promise of our great land. We must now turn a new page and adopt the potential I humbly represent.   APGA is that change and that new day. I respectfully invite the NLC to  walk together  with us into that new dawn.

Dr. Isaiah Osifo,

APGA Governorship Candidate for Edo State,2024.

(A farmer And University Teacher).

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