By Kayode Babatuyi.
Farmers at Bolorunduro, one of the areas affected by the construction of Airport in Ado-Ekiti have appealed to Ekiti state government to give them more time for their farm produce to germinate and ripe for harvest before the lands are cleared.
They made the appeal during a peaceful protest against the clearing of their farmlands by government.
According to the protesters, government brought tractors yesterday to start clearing their farmlands containing various farm produce without prior notice.
The protesters carried inscriptions like “Mr Governor please give us time to harvest our farm produce” “Mr. Governor please don’t increase poverty in Ekiti” “Fayemi have mercy on our Children” among others.
While speaking, two of the protesters, Mr. Michael Ogunyemi and Mr. Ishaq Idris claimed that government had told them before that the clearing of land for the airport project would not affect them, saying this made them to continue with their farming activities this year.
They said some of their produce such as yams and cassava were still germinating and would be affected by the exercise, hence the need for government to give them time.
Mr. Ogunyemi and Idris noted that they were surprised to see tractors in Bolorunduro area yesterday to start the clearing of their farmlands containing some farm produce yet to be harvested.
Also speaking, another farmer, Mrs. Cecilia Alade who is a Widow said if her farm was destroyed, it would be difficult for her to feed her children, as her husband died many years ago.
The farmers pointed out that they were not covered in the payment of compensation as government said the compensation was not meant for those who grow cash crops.
They said payment of compensation would not have much impact on them, adding that no amount of money given to them could match what they would realise from their farms.
