All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN)

By Gabriel Ewepu – Abuja

The South-East zone chairmen of All Farmers Association of Nigeria, AFAN, unanimously rejected group parading as National Executive of the association.

This was contained in a communiqué released, yesterday, after the Zonal Committee Meeting of the association held at Enugu on March 23, 2020, which was signed by Chairman, Imo State AFAN Chapter; Dr. Vitus Ayo Enwerem; Acting Chairman, Abia State AFAN Chapter, Mike Obi Ekezie (ESQ); Chairman, Anambra AFAN Chapter, Hon Joe  Madubuko; Chairman, Enugu AFAN Chapter, Romanus Eze; Assistant National Secretary, AFAN, Princess Mrs. Akunna Ubosi; 1st  Deputy National President, AFAN, Rev T A U Iwu; Vice National President, AFAN, Chief Dan Okafor; Ex officio Member, AFAN, South East, Hon Nnamdi Mekoh; AFAN Woman Representative, IMO State, Ambassador Ijeoma Nwachukwu; and AFAN State Secretary, Comrade Sony Ekette.

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The communique reads in part, “The Zonal Committee Meeting of All Farmers Association of Nigeria comprising all the States’ Chairmen, States’ Secretaries, Ex officio Members, Women and Youth Representatives and the National Officers from the Zone held at Enugu on 23 march 2020. Except Ebonyi State who is yet to conduct her State Elections, all other States were fully represented.

“The following Resolutions were reached at the end of the Meeting: That All Farmers Association of Nigeria(AFAN) South East deprecates any attempt by any Individual or Groups no matter how highly placed to create factions in AFAN. Such factitious  groups should seize to exist immediately

“Any dispute should be resolved using the internal Conflict Resolution Mechanism as enshrined in AFAN Constitution and where such disputes cannot be resolved the NWC should consult Critical Stake Holders and Chairman and Members of Board of Trustees of AFAN for a peaceful resolution.

“That the Electoral Committee recently constituted by the present NWC be ratified by NEC and be inaugurated immediately and charged among other things to conduct AFAN National Elections before the end of the Second quarter of this year(2020).”

However, the group called for equity and fairness by giving the number one position of AFAN’s national executive to zone, which according to it the South East region is yet to occupy the position of president and now is the time for that.

“That members of AFAN South East are encouraged to vie for the position of the Presidency and seek for the support of other Zones for equity and fair play since the Zone has not tasted that No 1 position since the inception of the association”, it said.

The group also called on State governors and State Assembly members in the region to give the association its pride of place to boost food security, create employment, attract investment, and run the agricultural sector of the region for wealth creation and sustain the economy.

They added that activities of the association should be considered and included in annual budgetary allocations to improve agricultural productivity that would contribute positively to Gross Domestic Product, GDP, of the region’s economy.

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“That the Governors and State Assemblies in the South East should increase Budgetary Allocation to Agriculture and consider capturing AFAN Activities in their Annual Budgets to improve Agriculture and ensure Food Security in the Zone.

“That Crops with Comparative Advantages in the Zone such as Oil Palm, Cashew, Rice, Cassava and other Root Crops be given serious priority by the Region to diversify the Economy of the Region and to create jobs. Oil Palm used to be our main stay contributing 85percent of the IGR and helping to develop our infrastructure.

“That the South East Committee be reinvigorated and made functional and Farmers in the Region sensitised to produce more food this season to avert the looming food scarcity after the COVD19 Pandemic”, it stressed.

They also advised that, “Farmers in the Region are urged to observe all the protocols released by Government to avert the dreaded COVD19 Pandemic.”

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