The Oyo State Agribusiness Development Agency (OYSADA) has informed Farm Settlers and land grabbers at Akufo Farm Settlement that the State Government owed the land they occupied, hinted the government is ready to revive the farm into a modern Agribusiness Hub for the benefit of Legal Settlers and Investors.
Officers of OYSADA clarified, during a sensitization meeting with Farm Settlers at the farm in Akufo on Wednesday afternoon.
According to OYSADA, the Agency urged land grabbers and individuals who sell lands illegally
to unsuspecting citizens to back down and warned against misinforming the General Public about the Farm Settlement. The Agency said the Oyo State Government had in no time sold or converted Akufo Farmland to residential purposes.
Speaking further, OYSADA explained that the State Government proposed Farm Estates at Akufo will promote investment opportunities using Farming Estate models with private, new, and existing Akufo farm settlement registered farmers as beneficiaries.
OYSADA said, the Oyo State Government had finished plans to make the Akufo Farm Settlement into a Farm Estate, where available land would be used for agricultural purposes in commercial quantities, said approved settlers would be given land to grow food for themselves, their families, and local communities.
The Agency said, the State Government aims to boost food production and the welfare of farmers, so have embraced the Farm Estates strategy giving out fertile land at Akufo, with good transport links to farmers. Adding that, the Government also uses the advantage of access to Circular roads and Train networks to the farm.
OYSADA thereafter warned all existing land grabbers and illegal occupants at the Akufo Farm Settlement to vacate the vicinity or face the full wrath of the law when apprehended.
According to the director of Agribusiness services, Mr. llori, he said the Agenda of the State Government was not to inconvenience anyone but to put in place a modernized Farm Estate that goes in line with World agricultural business standards here in Oyo State.
He further gave an insight into the difference between a farm settlement and a farm estate, explained that a farm estate goes beyond just planting and harvesting farm produce for sale only but rather will accommodate the processing of produce in large quantities for use increased income for both farmers and the government”.
“Also let us emphatically state this, the State Government government under the administration of Governor Seyi Makinde has no plans to covert the land for any other use than agriculture purposes, therefore we need to allay the fear of the government covering the farms for residential purposes: He concluded.
Representing the Ministry of Lands and Urban Development was the Director of Lands, Alhaji Hakeem Audu who enlightened the farmers on the process and allocations of lands for modern use, stating that time and developments go in line for every Community to develop. He said the duty of the Ministry was to allocate Lands after due process have been carried out for whatsoever use and whoever goes otherwise. It’s in the interest of the stakeholders to inform the Ministry of any irregularities for prompt actions towards ensuring they are brought to book.
He said the State has before now had established Master Plan and it’s expected that for development to come into effect it will require sacrifices.
Therefore urging the settlers to key into the plans for the State Government by doing the needful in ensuring that they go in line with the agreed documentation. All illegal occupants would be seriously dealt with.
The Director of Admin., OYSADA, Mr L. A. Lawal implored the Settlers to get there documents intact for verification to be embarked upon by the State Government very soon.
The Settlers requested that the State Government should carry them along in the scheme of things.
