OYO: Conversion of Farmlands to Real Estates Would Worsen Food Crisis – APC Warns Makinde

The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State has raised the alarm over Governor Seyi Makinde’s alleged penchant for converting large expanses of land on which agricultural practices are being carried out by farmers into housing estates, warning that the trend was capable of worsening cases of food crises and hunger in the land.

In recent times, the administration of Gov. Makinde has faced intense criticism over issues relating to the commercialisation or outright sales of choice properties and pieces of land belonging to the state government as well as the acquisition of some pieces of land owned by some private individuals, families and organisations, claiming that the steps were taken “in overriding public interest”.

In a statement issued at the weekend and made available to journalists in Ibadan by its Publicity Secretary, Olawale Sadare, Oyo APC decried the ongoing destruction of tree crops belonging to local farmers in parts of Akinyele and Ido local government councils allegedly by some estate developers who have been engaged by the state government to convert the farmlands on which they are making both ends meet into housing estates.

“The rate at which the present PDP administration in Oyo State is inflicting hardship on the masses has reached its crescendo, and we, at the APC, can no longer keep silent. On a daily basis, the Makinde administration robs the poor to further enrich the affluent few in the guise of urbanisation policy and improved internally generated revenue drive. As the agents of the state forcefully eject traders and shop or office owners from their legitimate business premises, farmers are not only being chased away from their farmlands even as their growing crops and plants are destroyed to pave the way for residential buildings.

“As of last Friday, hundreds of local farmers in Idi-Igbaro and Akufo in the Ido local government area, as well as their colleagues in Ajibade, Olosa-oko, Alaase, Alagbaa, Oloje, Elekuru, and Agbirigidi, among other ancient settlements in the Akinyele local government area, were thrown into colossal losses as agents of the state government had destroyed all the crops on their farmlands. Among the crops which were sacrificed for housing estates are several thousands of cocoa, cashew, mango, oil palm trees and coffee, as well as arable crops such as maize, cassava, yam and vegetables.

“This happened at a time citizens face a food crisis in the mode of scarcity and high cost of food commodities. While states like Niger, Borno, Kebbi and Kwara are doing so much to assist and encourage their local farmers, the PDP administration in Oyo is making life unbearable for them, and our governor keeps deceiving the world that he is promoting agribusiness. As it stands, Oyo State cannot boast of a single agricultural product which is being made available to the global market despite the vast fertile land resources and favourable weather which God has blessed the state with. This is shameful.” Oyo APC lamented.