Edo State deputy governor, Rt. Hon. Dennis Idahosa has vowed that all illegally acquired farmlands by some companies in the state would be revoked.
Idahosa, who stated in Benin on Friday when he received members of the Association of Cocoa Farmers, noted that some farmlands were acquired through proxies.
In a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Friday Aghedo, the deputy governor assured that due process would be followed at retrieving such lands back to the owners.
He particularly commended members of the association from Ovia South-West and Ovia North-East Local Government Areas for being law-abiding in spite of the seeming challenges facing them.
Idahosa reaffirmed the campaign promise of Governor Monday Okpebholo to farmers, maintaining that their welfare was of topmost priority to the government.
He reminded them that having campaigned in the 18 local government areas of the state, the governor was aware of farmers’ socio-economic contributions to their local government areas and the state in general.
Idahosa stated further that by paying their taxes regularly to the state government, nobody would be able to take away their lands and due dividends.
He stressed that the government was putting measures in place to minimise the farmer/herders clashes and as well as doing everything possible to make sure the lives of its citizens are secure.
Earlier, the cocoa farmers led by Mr. Bello Osaretin, alleged that some civil servants from the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security were conniving with some Chinese to sell the Ohosu and Okomu Forest Reserve.
He claimed that over 40 major communities presently occupied by farmers in Ovia South West LGA would no longer be in existence if the present administration failed to intervene.
