ACTIVATE AGRO RANGERS TO PROTECT FARMERS -HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES URGES FEDERAL GOVERNMENT 03-10-23
By Sadiq Aminu The House of Representatives has urged the federal government to activate the Agro Rangers unit under the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) to protect farmers during harvest nationwide.
This was sequel to a motion of Urgent Public Importance on “The Need to Stop Killing of Peasant Farmers in Chibok/Damboa/Gwoza Constituency and Provide Safe and Reliable Security for Farmers to Harvest Their Hard-Earned Farm Produce”, by a member from Borno state Mr Ahmed Jaha, at plenary.
Moving the motion, the Lawmaker informed the House of the urgent issue of the continuous killing of farmers in his constituency, who work tirelessly to provide food for the nation while facing grave threats to their lives, hindering their ability to harvest their hard-earned farm produce.
“Agriculture being the backbone of Nigeria’s economy and the main source of livelihood for the majority of the people, the attacks on the farmers will not only result in loss of lives but also severely disrupt food production, leading to food scarcity, increased prices, and economic instability in the constituency and the country.
“The persistent insecurity in my constituency has created an environment of fear and uncertainty, discouraging farmers from cultivating their lands and leaving their hard-earned farm produce unharvested.
This according to him not only leads to financial losses for the farmers, but also exacerbates the food insecurity situation in the area and the country as a whole.
Adopting the motion, the House urged the federal government to provide financial assistance and support to affected farmers, who have suffered losses due to attacks, to help them recover and sustain their agricultural activities.
It also called on the government to invest in infrastructure development, such as access roads, communication network and rural electrification to improve the security and economic viability of the country.