The Delta State government distributed 549 metric tonnes of grains to fish and pig farmers across the state on Friday, warning that any beneficiary caught selling the grains would be arrested and prosecuted.
Speaking during the distribution of the grains at the ADP office in Ibusa, Oshimili North Local Government Area of the state, Secretary of the State Palliative Committee, Olorogun Jaro Egbo, said the state government was following the directive of the federal government that the grains should not be sold.
Egbo, who is also the Special Adviser to the Governor on Transport, cautioned beneficiaries of the state government’s gesture not to sell the grains freely distributed to them by the state government, adding that it is a criminal offence for anybody to do so.
According to him, the state government will blacklist anybody, any group, or cluster found to have sold the products given to them, pointing out that such individuals or clusters would not benefit from future distribution exercises.
“We are following the federal government directive that the palliative should not be sold. So, anybody who sells anything here will be arrested and prosecuted. It is a criminal offence for anybody to sell any of the grains.
“So, if you think you are going to sell, you are endangering your life, and you are endangering your farm because we will go after you, arrest you, and prosecute you.
“We are going to blacklist anybody, any group or cluster that we found to have sold our product. They will be blacklisted because more things are coming: more grains, more beans, and more rice,” Egbo added.
He disclosed that 577 fish farmers covering various groups across the state were to receive 398 tonnes of grains, adding that over 140 pig farmers would also receive over 151 tonnes of grains, making it a total of 549 tonnes of grains.
“Today we are distributing grains to pig farmers, and those in the piggery group are over 140 people. We are giving them over 151 tonnes of grains.
“For the fish farmers, we have 577 people, covering various groups across the state, and we are distributing 398 tonnes of grains to them, making a total of 549 tonnes that will be distributed to the two groups today.
“The numbers were taken from across the state. We took some in clusters, we took some from their localities, and we ensured that they were small farmholders who were more affected by the high cost of feed.
“This is to serve as a palliative to the small farmholders. Our governor is encouraging agricultural productivity in the state.
“We will ensure that we follow the rules by ensuring that these grains get to the end users, that they get to the small farm holders, not mill owners who can afford some of these things. The small farmholders are the worst hit in terms of the high cost of grains.
“The governor has kept aside N2 billion for tomatoes and other vegetable farming. We are also planting rice across the state. We are starting with Aviara in Isoko for rice farming,” the Special Adviser said.
Also speaking, the Executive Assistant to the Governor on Agriculture and Natural Resources, Hon. George Oyefia, said the state government’s gesture was essentially made for small farm holders as a result of their vulnerability because, he said, the big players can afford to buy feeds in quantity and at a cheaper rate.
Oyefia pointed out that the state government was distributing the grains to cushion the effects of the high cost of mazes and reduce unemployment in the state, adding that the state governor believes that the more small farmers, the more he is taking the youths out of the streets.
“Again, the governor believes that when he gives palliatives to smallholders, they will remain in business because the essence of giving to them is to ensure that they actually remain in business.
“We are aware that the present galloping inflation in the country is affecting them more than the big players, hence this gesture by the state government,” he said, adding that Delta State is ahead of every other state in terms of food security because the governor has a lot of agricultural programmes on the ground.
In the area of livestock, the Executive Assistant said, “We are trying to partner with some big farms under the MORE Agenda to see that we go into the production of frozen chickens because the cost of fish in the market is very high.
“So, we are already talking with partners who will package frozen broilers for the state. We are sure that in a little while, Delta will be exporting agricultural products.”
In their separate responses, the Chairman of the Fishing Cooperative of Nigeria, Delta State Chapter, Ogbueshi Adim Nwokobia and the Delta State
Chairman of the Pigs Farmers Association, Engr. Mike Okotie, applauded the state government for the gesture, which, they said, would significantly improve their productivity.