Mmadu ka-ana aya

Efforts of the Obiano administration in raising interest and consciousness of Ndi- Anambra towards agriculture appears to be hitting a major set back as a major rice dealer in Ayamelum Council area(name with held) is said to have swindled a farmers co operative society, formed by journalists and other media workers of a front line broadcast out fit in the state, of a whopping sum of one point four million naira of their hard earned resources.

The group who were goaded into parting with their resources by the man said to be ward leader of one of the political parties in the state , with the hope of giving them twelve plots of land where he will cultivate rice, which at worst, will yield past the double of their investment( that is, more than two point eight million naira, after harvest). According to a member of the co operative society, who spoke on condition of anonymity, they started smelling a dead rat, when the man thwarted all plans by members to witness the harvest proper at Ifite Ogwarri, only to report back to the owners of very poor yields.

The group was taken to the farms at different points and they witnessed robust growth of the rice farms, even as they made all payments relating to pests, land preparation, fertilizers, crop multiplication applications etc. According to her the man kept telling them of the bumper harvest till last week, when they alleged he harvested and sold off over one hundred and thirty two bags of rice, presenting them with a paltry twelve bags as yields from six plots of rice farm.

As if that was not enough, he claimed that the other half, making it twelve plots on the whole, has been eaten up by ndo (dove birds) and cattle belonging to one Alhaji. Angered by the turn of events, the journalists turned rice farmers demanded for a proper account, promising him of reporting to security if he did not give them the actual return on their investment by week end. They said the farmer politician turned deaf ears on them as he neither called nor picked their numerous calls by Sunday evening, prompting them to arrest his wife who was an accomplice, when the man evaded arrest.

It pains the journalists the more that the man is now alleged to be going about boasting to use his connection to a law maker from the area to intimidate the media men, and rip them off, by reaping where he did not sow. As at the time of filing this report, the man is still at large, making contacts to get the said law maker and other associates to release the wife from detention. Meanwhile, the journalists are not letting down as they have vowed to recoup their money and the profits therefrom, even if it means letting the world hear them.

They say Gov Willie Obiano will be displeased to hear that public servants who answered his clarion call for agricultural revolution are being discouraged, not by vagaries of weather or any other ecological factor, but sheer greed on the part of the well known rice farmer in the state, who convinced the journalists into the business at a state meeting of rice farmers in Awka early this year.

Please say tufiakwa and rebroadcast.