Cashew farmers and buyers in Kogi State, Nigeria, are sounding the alarm over plans to triple produce payment from ₦30,000 to ₦90,000. The Farmers Forum of Nigeria, representing the aggrieved parties, is urgently appealing to Governor Usman Ododo to address the issue of multiple taxation and harassment in the state.
In a strongly-worded statement, the Farmers Forum of Nigeria, a platform established to enhance the agricultural landscape in Nigeria, emphasized the detrimental impact of excessive taxation on their livelihoods. The group highlighted the stark contrast in inspection fees imposed by the Produce Inspection Department (PID) in Kogi State compared to those in other regions. They cited instances where fees in Kogi were significantly higher than those in states like Kano, Gombe, Katsina, and others. The statement outlined a myriad of unexplained levies, including interstate levy, loading and offloading fees, pass fees, state and local government environmental fees, and local government departmental fees, imposed by the Kogi State Board of Internal Revenue.
Barrister Ibrahim Adam, the spokesperson for the Farmers Forum, expressed grave concern over the impact of these levies, which not only hinder the ease of doing business but also deter foreign buyers and investors. The farmers and buyers are left impoverished, with the burden of multiple taxes exacerbating their struggles during the cashew season. Adam emphasized the adverse effects of the government’s policies and the unnecessary harassment faced by the cashew stakeholders. Their plight has reached a tipping point, with the group urging President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and federal government agencies, including the Ministry of Agriculture, to intervene and bring an end to these overwhelming levies.
The Farmers Forum stressed that Kogi State should not deviate from the practices of other cashew-producing states such as Enugu, Niger, Edo, Benue, and Nasarawa. The group fervently seeks relief from the suffocating burden of multiple taxation and the systemic harassment faced by cashew farmers and buyers in the state.
The pleas from the farmers and buyers echo the dire need for a swift resolution to safeguard the sustainability of the cashew industry in Kogi State.
