The Abia State Commissioner for Agriculture, Dr. Cliff Agbaeze, has denied allegations made by the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), Abia State chapter, regarding the selection of beneficiaries for the African Union Development Agency-New Partnership for Africa’s Development (AUDA-NEPAD) program. The association had accused the commissioner of including non-farmers as beneficiaries and imposing his preferred candidates on the Abia farmers’ leadership.
According to Dr. Agbaeze, his ministry selected 1,000 genuine farmers to benefit from the program’s first phase, with no fake farmers among them. He attributed the controversy to the existence of factional farmers’ associations in Abia State, which prompted his office to deal directly with genuine farmers to prevent the diversion of available inputs.
The All Farmers Association of Nigeria, Abia State chapter, had expressed concerns during a press conference, claiming that many of the beneficiaries of the AUDA-NEPAD program were not genuine farmers, but rather individuals handpicked by the commissioner. The association’s chairman, Gift Ogbonna, stated that the group represents the apex body of all farmers for 82 commodities and sought to ensure that the voices of farmers are heard.
The farmers’ association also commended Governor Alex Otti for his efforts to uplift smallholder farmers in Abia State by paying the state’s counterpart funds. However, they alleged that the commissioner’s actions undermined the governor’s initiatives. The association claimed that previous efforts to reconcile the factions of AFAN had been successful, with the groups now united under one umbrella.
The controversy surrounding the AUDA-NEPAD program has sparked concerns about the transparency and accountability of the selection process for beneficiaries. As the program aims to support smallholder farmers in Abia State, the allegations made by the All Farmers Association of Nigeria highlight the need for clarity and fairness in the distribution of benefits. The situation is being closely monitored, with the outcome likely to have significant implications for the farming community in Abia State.
