Kebbi farmlands allocated to Chinese firm raise dust

Ahmed, who lamented that the affected farmers were neither paid compensation nor allocated alternative farmland, said Cifamini was serving as a major farming centre for farmers from the neighbouring Shanga, Ngaski, Yauri, Zuru local government areas of the state and some parts of Niger State before the farmland was arbitrarily seized and allocated to the […]

Ahmed, who lamented that the affected farmers were neither paid compensation nor allocated alternative farmland, said Cifamini was serving as a major farming centre for farmers from the neighbouring Shanga, Ngaski, Yauri, Zuru local government areas of the state and some parts of Niger State before the farmland was arbitrarily seized and allocated to the Chinese firm.
He said the aggrieved farmers had, at one time, carried out a peaceful protest during the administration of Senator Adamu Aliero as governor of the state, between 2006 and 2007, to express their grievances against nonpayment of compensation for their farmlands.  
Daily Trust gathered that some of the farmers like Danbala Warra, who was cultivating up to 7,000 bags of rice before the leasing of the land to the Chinese firm, were frustrated and felt cheated.
“The land was accommodating thousands of farmers and each of these farmers cultivated between 150 to 200 bags of rice,” the AFAN chairman said.
Investigation by our reporter revealed that the Chinese firm known as Green Agricultural West Africa, obtained a Certificate of Occupancy dated 10th March, 2006 with 99 years lease agreement on a 1,875.367 hectares. According to the agreement, the state is to benefit from only two percent of the total yield from the farm.
Farmers who spoke to our reporter said over 800,000 hectares of farmland was originally initiated by the then Northern Regional Government of Sir Ahmadu Bello, Sardauna of Sokoto, to promote irrigation farming in the river side area since 1960.
One of the affected farmers, Malam Shehu Yauri, said: “Government did not consult us before taking the decision to lease out our farmland and the government at that time neither provided alternative farmland nor paid adequate compensation to us.”
Ajiyan Yauri and National President of Yauri Emirate Development Association, Alhaji Abdullahi Yalwa, described the 99-year lease period as unlawful and illegal. He said the law only provides 45 years lease on farmlands.
He said: “No compensation is paid except promises of employment, good farming opportunity and other empty promises to farmers of accessing farm inputs that were never given. These include the firm’s failure to fulfill a single Corporate Social Responsibility to host the community.
“The company provides a bag of rice seed at the cost of N12,500. After harvest, the farmer is expected to pay with three bags of harvested rice. The farmer is also compelled to sell the remnant of the harvested rice to the company at the cost of N5,000 per bag. That is the highest form of exploitation and domestic slavery Nigerians are exposed to.”
Sarkin Ngaski, Alhaji Aliyu Tanko, however, also faulted the 99-year leasing period to the Chinese firm instead of 45 years for farmlands. “I also urge the state government to investigate why the company locked up water supply to farmers’ irrigation farms around the area despite government’s contribution,” he said.
Some Nigerian workers seen on the Chinese farmland declined to make any comment on the matter when our reporter visited the area. Those who spoke and would not want their names in print insisted that the company did not violate any laws of Nigeria.
Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Environment, Isiyaku Daudu, confirmed that a large government forest reserve of about 500 hectares would be leased to the Dangote Group for the proposed Fadama farming of sugarcane.
Two prominent indigenes of the state, the Magajin Garin Zaga, Alhaji Abubakar Mainasara and the Ubandawakin Shanga, Alhaji Nasiru Fa’afaru, said in separate interviews that the proposed sugarcane plantation project is a laudable one, adding that majority of the people of the area are in support of the project by Dangote because it will create employment and bring development to the state.
The proposed fadama area allocated to the company covers farmlands in Zaga, Kande, Bahindi, Zaria Kalakala, Bagudo and Shanga.
Responding, the Commissioner for Agriculture, Alhaji Isah Muhammad Mera, said he was not aware of such developments, adding that all acquisition, leasing and compensation issues on farmlands are referred to the Ministry of Land and Housing.  
When our reporter contacted the Commissioner of Land and Housing, Hussaini Abdullahi Raha, admitted that by law, the leasing period on farmlands is 45 years.
He said compensation has been paid for farmlands during the Aliero-led administration.
“The farmers have been paid their compensation. As I speak to you, we have not received any complain from any farmer about compensation. Their complaint is mostly against the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) of the Chinese company.”
However, the commissioner did not say how much compensation was paid to the Ngaski farmers.
On the Dangote Fadama Sugarcane project, he said that Dangote only showed interest and survey of the area is still ongoing, adding, “we will have to identify the location and conduct surveys before we can talk of compensation to farmers.”