Contrary to public expectation, all seems not to be well with the Enugu state songhai trained farmers that recently returned from the Agricultural centre in Porto-Novo. This revelation was made known Wednesday when the trained farmers numbering about 43 stormed the state's government house, Enugu, claiming that they were on invitation to have audience with the Governor.
The trained farmers who arrived in trickles said they received text messages about the meeting in the same manner they were communicated to on the outset of the programme. The sms which came through an MTN number,
2348161124632 reads, "SONGHAI: governor ve approved d payment of ur post training allowance. come 2 govt house 4 collectn$audiance wit governor. wed 23/6/10 10am. wear songhai vest$camp"
They were however disappointed to found that they have been hoaxed by the message as there were no such plans nor any formal arrangement for their meeting with his Excellency. On discovering this, the trained farmers in a move to attract the sympathy of the state's Chief Executive organised themselves strategically close to the Governor's office but were however dismissed by the security personnels on duty.
The spokesperson of the group blamed the situation on communication gap between them and the people in-charge of the programme. He said," Since may 7th, they just abandoned us. no information on the direction of the programme. we were just left without proper coordination. The farming season is about to end, still we have not heard anything. It is only on radio, television and in newspapers that we hear them saying thatwe have started work but you can see it is not true."
The farmers while appreciating the efforts of his Excellency, Governor Sullivan Chime in transforming the state expressed their readiness to work towards achieving the administration's cardinal points, especially as it concerns food security and sustainable agriculture. They therefore called on the state government to expedite action on the songhai project.