…accuses govt of destroying cocoa farms for palm oil plantation
The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Ondo State, yesterday, slammed Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa over what it described as the “inhuman treatment” of farmers at the Oluwa Forest Reserve (OA3A) in Odigbo Local Government Area of the state, accusing his administration of attempting to dispossess the farmers of their means of livelihood despite collecting millions in levies from them.
In a statement issued by its Director of Media and Publicity, Mr. Leye Igbabo, the opposition party said it was alarmed by the government’s decision to permit some so-called investors to destroy existing cocoa plantations in the forest reserve with the aim of replacing them with palm oil plantations.
The PDP described the move as “wicked” and “fraudulent”, particularly because the affected farmers had already paid various levies to the state government for the allocated farmlands, including annual rent, security dues, and identity card fees.
“After the farmers have been made to pay all manner of levies… the government yet again brought some so-called investors to come and destroy the cocoa plantations of the helpless farmers for the purpose of planting palm oil trees,” the party said. “This action is not only wicked but also essentially fraudulent in nature.”
While questioning the rationale behind replacing cocoa plantations with palm oil trees, despite both having similar economic value, the party stressed that the cocoa farms had already become sources of income and sustenance for the farmers after years of cultivation.
“Our party finds it hard to fathom the government’s motives behind destroying sprawling cocoa plantations… One wonders why such plantations should be targeted for destruction for similar economic trees which survival are still subject and susceptible to any unfavourable climatic conditions,” Igbabo stated.
The party further noted that the state has vast arable land suitable for agricultural purposes and argued that the government could have explored alternative locations for the palm oil project instead of sabotaging the livelihood of existing farmers.
It warned that the alleged action of the state government could worsen socio-economic hardship in the affected communities, potentially triggering starvation, frustration, increased crime rates, avoidable violence, and untimely deaths.
Calling on the governor to act with compassion and in line with constitutional provisions for the welfare of citizens, the PDP urged Aiyedatiwa to reconsider the move and allow the farmers to “breathe and enjoy the fruits of their many years of labour.”
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