Obiano and the Vegetable Export Challenge
Two weeks after he told his audience
in Abuja that the state has registered the exportation of vegetable to
the tune of $5million, Anambra State Governor, Chief Willie Obiano, has
come under scrutiny. David-Chyddy Eleke writes
Sometime in February this year, some
print media houses published stories of the exportation of vegetables
cultivated in the Anambra State to parts of Europe and America. It was
simply a beautiful piece of news that eloquently showcased the
governor’s efforts in his agricultural revolution in the state. But two
weeks ago, in a forum organised by the state government to avail it
opportunity to interact with its citizens in Abuja and parts of the
north, the governor mentioned again the feat, putting a price tag to the
worth of vegetable so far exported, and this has triggered criticisms
from opposition.
Obiano had told indigenes of the state that, “in January this year, Anambra made headlines when it became the first state in Nigeria to export vegetables (Ugu) and bitter leaf (Onugbu) valued at $5 million to Europe. At the same time, our locally produced brand of rice known as Anambra Rice recently emerged the Best Rice in Africa at an African Products Forum in Lagos. Anambra Rice was adjudged better and more wholesome than other competing brands from South Africa, Egypt, Ghana, Morocco, Namibia and Cameroon. Our agricultural sector has also attracted investments from seven companies valued at $1.011b while the large industrial farms have pushed our local rice production from 90,000 metric tons to 210,000 metric tons. At this rate, we shall soon surpass the 320,000 metric tons we consume in Anambra State per annum.”
A day after the story of his feat was published in daily newspapers, opposition parties and individuals rose to refute the governor’s story, saying that it was blatant falsehood for the governor to claim that such level of vegetable was being produced out of the state. The opposition which consisted mainly of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) supporters stated that there was nowhere in the state where vegetable could be found to be cultivated in such quantity. They challenged the governor to make available to them the location of the farms, where in Europe the vegetables were exported and the company that handled the exportation of the produce.
As the governor’s media aides were still grappling with replying the accusations on the social media, Sahara Reporters, an online news portal fired another salvo in which it carried a screaming headline, stating that Obiano lied on the exportation of vegetables to Europe to the tune of $5million. In its report, the online medium claimed to have launched an extensive investigation in which it found the claim to be false, while also analysing the pictures posted online by one of the governor’s aides as one of the farms in which the vegetable was harvested.
Obiano had told indigenes of the state that, “in January this year, Anambra made headlines when it became the first state in Nigeria to export vegetables (Ugu) and bitter leaf (Onugbu) valued at $5 million to Europe. At the same time, our locally produced brand of rice known as Anambra Rice recently emerged the Best Rice in Africa at an African Products Forum in Lagos. Anambra Rice was adjudged better and more wholesome than other competing brands from South Africa, Egypt, Ghana, Morocco, Namibia and Cameroon. Our agricultural sector has also attracted investments from seven companies valued at $1.011b while the large industrial farms have pushed our local rice production from 90,000 metric tons to 210,000 metric tons. At this rate, we shall soon surpass the 320,000 metric tons we consume in Anambra State per annum.”
A day after the story of his feat was published in daily newspapers, opposition parties and individuals rose to refute the governor’s story, saying that it was blatant falsehood for the governor to claim that such level of vegetable was being produced out of the state. The opposition which consisted mainly of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) supporters stated that there was nowhere in the state where vegetable could be found to be cultivated in such quantity. They challenged the governor to make available to them the location of the farms, where in Europe the vegetables were exported and the company that handled the exportation of the produce.
As the governor’s media aides were still grappling with replying the accusations on the social media, Sahara Reporters, an online news portal fired another salvo in which it carried a screaming headline, stating that Obiano lied on the exportation of vegetables to Europe to the tune of $5million. In its report, the online medium claimed to have launched an extensive investigation in which it found the claim to be false, while also analysing the pictures posted online by one of the governor’s aides as one of the farms in which the vegetable was harvested.
No comments:
Post a Comment