Kano AFAN insists N13b intervention is misadventure

• Ebonyi elects new executives
The chairman, All Farmers’ Association of Nigeria (AFAN), Kano State chapter,  Alhaji Abdurrashid Magaji Rimingado has described the N13 billion  announced by the Minister of Agriculture to be spent on fighting birds, pests and diseases as being misplace of priority when considering the insecurity situation in the country. He made this statement in support of the National President, Architect Kabir Ibrahim who had earlier punctured the purpose of the amount immediately the Minister made the intension known to the public.

Alhaji Rimingado said that N13 billion to fight pests, locust and quelea birds for the 2020 farming season was what he described as misadventure, stressing that only a group of people who are sycophants would want to associate with this kind of expenditure especially in the North West and East where farmers were being disallowed access to farms due to bandits and kidnappers’ operations.

He frowned at the romance of the Minister, Alhaji Sabo Nanono with a group parading itself as AFAN national executives against the elected members as illicit and very compromising against the wishes of small scale farmers across the board, saying ‘’ for now it is very clear that Farouk led group is Sabo Nanono’s AFAN and it will soon collapse’’

However, the Director, Department of Veterinary and Pest Control Services, FMARD Mr. Alabi Olaniran in a chat with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday has said that the N13 billion intervention fund is meant to address three critical areas that include, the control of migratory pests, and trans-boundary animals’ disease using vaccination and eradication of dog-related human rabies.
Olaniran said further that ‘’ the other intervention is to upgrade abattoir across the states. You will notice that most of the abattoirs in most states if you have taken your time to visit some of these abattoirs, they are in very deplorable states’’

 Meanwhile, the Association President, Ibrahim has said that the 34 states of the federation have concluded their election into official offices of the Association with Ebonyi inclusive yesterday, adding that the National Electoral Committee for the national election would be approved at the next coming meeting of the Executive Council.

However, the just concluded Ebonyi- state election sent to us today has had Dr. Ignatius Unah as the new AFAN chairman, and Engr. Micheal Oguta as the Deputy, while Mr. Egwu Augustus Nnamdi and Queen Nome are now Secretary and Treasurer.

 The three Vice chairmen include Chief Nwakpu Okechukwu, Engr. Frank Ori and Nathaneil Nwodom while  Chinonso Nwede and Alfred Onuoha are now Assistant Secretary and Financial. Others are Kalu Nnachi Mba as Asst. Financial Secretary, Mr. Obaji Victor as Organizing Secretary, Ugo Micheal Ehihia as Women Representative, Alo Edozie, Youth representative, Uchenna Egwu Abraham as Ex-official and Pauline Nwafor as Women Leader.

In his speech delivered on the occasion, 23rd, Tuesday 2020, the Vice National President, AFAN Chief Daniel Okafor asked farmers to work together as a team towards attainment of food security in the country, saying the new elected executives should be given maximum support.

He advised the Ebonyi chapter of AFAN to join the train like others to claim whatever belong to them as regards facilities that would enhance productivity saying ‘’ farmers own this country and we must work together to attain food secured nation’’