By Egbe Attah
The Second-Class Chief for Otukpo Local Government of Benue State, Dr. Samuel Onuh, has called on his subjects to intensify efforts in farming to avert impending hunger.
The royal father, made the call recently while interacting with The Voice in Otukpo, the local government headquarters.
He noted that the call had become imperative in view of the high cost of living, explaining that prices of commodities are skyrocketed, especially, those of foodstuffs.
“With the way things are going, we have to do our best to improve our farming. Imagine prices of all things have gone up on the account of the removal of fuel subsidiary. Benue State reputed as the food basket of the nation does not have enough food to feed herself now let alone Nigeria. “We’re in a season when there should be abundant new food like maze, groundnuts, cassava and yams, yet there is scarcity. Even the little that is available is beyond the reach of the common man,” he said.
“Thank God, we’re still in the raining season and it is better we go into massive farming, especially, rice, cassava, beneseed farming and other crops that can grow within this season, so that we’ll have mass harvest next year,” Dr. Onuh added.
The Ad’Otukpo, who is also the District Head of Adoka, advised his able bodied subjects without viable jobs outside, to come home and embrace farming, stressing that, it pays.
He thanked the state government for the provision of fertilizer to farmers at subsidized rate, urging it not to relent
On insecurity in his domain, the Ad’Otukpo lamented the farmer -herder clashes in Umogide Village, sometime ago but appreciated God that peace has returned to the troubled land.
“On this note, I implore my people to be law-abiding and live in peace among themselves and visitors. If you’re provoked or notice suspicious persons in your place, report to the appropriate quarters. Don’t take the law into your own hands,” he warned.
