Businessman Cautions Farmers On 2013 Planting

Farmers in Ahoada West Local Government Area of Rivers State have been advised against the cultivation of large farms in 2013 in view of the impending flood.

A businessman, Mr. Samuel Okpulu from Ukpulede Community who spoke to our correspondent over the weekend said given the fact that buildings and lives were lost in the area last year such ventures could be fruitless.

“I am of the opinion that farmers should hold on.

“If they should engage in further farming there is likely to be destruction and all their efforts will be of no effect”, he said.

According to him, after the fold of last year, inspections and records were carried out in his community by government but expressed regret that nothing has come out of such processes.

He expressed the hope that the government would still make amends on its post flood promises to the area even as he urged the authorities to take positive steps to alleviate the plight of farmers in advance in 2013.

Explaining further, he said since the media was awash with imminent flooding in 2013, it was expedient that farmers back pedal on extensive planting.

“If there is any other engagements by the farmers, their whole efforts will be meaningless.

“They have not recovered from the previous hardship occasioned by the last flooding”, he said.

On what would be the fate of the farmers if they don’t plant, he said it was the responsibly of all the three tiers of government to provide succor to the farmers.

“Government should make good their previous promises to the people even though the flood is a natural phenomenon.

“Since government is by the people for the people then they have no option but to live up to their responsibilities”, he said.

He opined that “if the government decides to stand and look when its citizens were dying of hunger from a natural occurrence” then such a government should abdicate from their positions.