Community leaders pledge support for Cross River Govt. cocoa revolution


Community leaders in Etung Local Government Area of Cross River on Monday pledged support for the State Government’s efforts to regenerate Cocoa, the News Agency of Nigeria reports.
They made the pledge at a Town Hall meeting in Bendeghe Ekiem, Abia and Efraya Communities organised by Mr Oscar Ofuka, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Cocoa Development.
The leaders, however, complained of perceived marginalisation of the landlord communities in the allocation of cocoa plots by the 2016 Cocoa Allocation Committee.
The meeting was attended by cocoa stakeholders including youths, women groups, opinion leaders and chiefs in Abia, Bendeghe, Etomi, Effraya communities, where the state cocoa estates are located.
Speaking at the occasion, Dr Emmanuel Ojong, Paramount Ruler of Etung Local Government Area, stressed the need for unity among Etung people and called on the youths to give peace a chance.
Also, a community leader, Mr Oji Orok, expressed concern over the dominance of non-Etung indigenes in the 2016 Cocoa allocation exercise.
In his speech, the special adviser said the interactive session became necessary to forestall cases of youths` destruction of cocoa farm lands.
Ofuka added that it was wrong for people to take laws into their hands without first hearing from the government.
``This meeting is meant to meet with the people, to listen to their complaints and to chart a course to move the new Cocoa revolution in the state forward, `` Ofuka said.
According to him, the revolution implied awareness on what the government was doing in support of the small holders farmers scheme to reduce poverty, unemployment.
``And to hit the 500,000 metric tonnes per annum for increased revenue to the farmers and the state, `` he said.
In a telephone interview, Prof. Anthony Eneji, Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources, told NAN that 60 per cent of plots were reserved for indigenous communities in the 2016 Cocoa allocation.
It will be recalled that irate youths from the cocoa-producing communities recently disrupted activities at the estates, in protest against perceived marginalisation in the allocation.

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