Newsfront Online …Telling the Public as it is
The sprawling green vegetation of the vast cassava demonstration farms of the State Technical Committee on Agriculture nand Food Sufficiency in the three senatorial districts of the state are always a sight to behold, especially at this time when there is increased emphasis on agriculture.
However, the demonstration farm at Ikot Ekan, Abak Local Government Area, that of the Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District, is now a shadow of its self as the former large beautiful stretch of green vegetation is now ruined with many patches of areas with crops with chopped off shoots, ripped leaves while others have carelessly and prematurely uprooted crops with partially or completely eaten roots and scattered stems.
The Abak farm assumed this new look after Fulani herdsmen and their cattle allegedly recently invaded the area to perpetuate their nefarious activity which has gained notoriety in other states of the federation.
Showing newsmen around the destroyed sections of the farm, the secretary of the committee, Pastor Sunny Ibuot, said it was rather disheartening and provocative that after government had graciously invested so much in agriculture, while awaiting results, the effort and resources were being lost in one night.
The project overseer in the senatorial district and member of the committee, Dr Godwin Udoma, who expressed worry at the development, said the government should expedite action to stem the practice especially through legislations by the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly.
Dr Udoma showed newsmen around many sections of the farm where several stands of cassava were actually uprooted, alleging that the herdsmen may have uprooted the crops for their cattle to eat, stressing that if over 90 square metres of the farm was destroyed in just one night, the entire farm could be lost if nothing was done to stop the herdsmen whom he described as deadly.
An attendant at the farm, Mr Oliver Akpan, expressed worry that the security men at the farm may also be in danger as they may be harmed if they attempt to resist the herdsmen.
He said it was the second time the herdsmen had invaded the farm and other farms in the area within few weeks and called on government to impose stiff penalties on the herdsmen and cattle owners.
