For the people of Okpuje community in Nsukka local government area of Enugu state, Federal Livestock Project located in their community is already another hope and expectation cut short as the multi-million-naira project has been in comatose for decades running.
WITHIN NIGERIA gathered that the multi-million-naira piggery initiative was established by the Shagari administration for mass production of pigs for local and export values. The project was to be a hub for huge local consumption and export to neigbouring countries. It was also meant to employ at least two hundred persons, thereby creating a huge value chain in the system.
In any case, more than forty years down the line, the state-of-the-art facilities have become moribund, with only one staff member, and no government-owned pigs.
In the beginning
WITHIN NIGERIA findings showed that the pig farm started its operations in 1982 on twenty-six hectares of land which was donated by Okpuje community. The community which is about ten kilometers away from the city centre of University of Nigeria, Nsukka and the local government headquarters saw this as once in a life opportunity and donated the land in anticipation of development as a result of federal presence.
Investigations showed that after its establishment, there was delay in its pig rearing for more than half a decade as pigs were only supplied there in the early 1990s..though the customised building complexes at the site, which are about ten in number were for rearing, veterinary services, meat processing, quality control, storage and packaging, among others.
When our reporter visited the facility few days ago, it was a tale of an eyesore as facility like a water borehole with an overhead tank, electricity facilities, security and staff quarters are already in ruins.
Though the entire hectares were fenced with the barbed wires, the walls are gradually caving in. The premises are covered by weeds, with some cassava plantations by private individuals who took the advantage of the abandonment to cultivate in the land.
Community dwellers lament the collapse of the farm
Following this ugly development, many residents have continued to express their dissatisfaction with the federal government over the abandonment.
Linus Ekeowo is a retired civil servant and a native of the community. He told WITHIN NIGERIA that the situation is not a good development to the community.
According to him, it is a huge economic lost to the community which has been yearning for such development.
“Okpuje community never benefitted anything from the project. We were told from the beginning of the project we were told that it was meant to rear pigs only which will be marketed to the world.
“But as you can see, it has not been functioning till today. The project started with one Mr Agonsi hailed from Imo State as the head. He was posted here by the federal government. From the beginning, the project did not make any positive impacts on the natives.
“Again, the community dwellers could not get any permanent job with the livestock. Only very few people got casual work during the establishment of the farm.
“As I speak with you, there is no Okpuje man that benefitted as permanent staff. The few that currently work there are engaged for tips. The large expanse of land where the farm is located was given to FG free of charge. When the issue of compensation came up, our community told the government to pay for only economic trees. This is because of the Land Use Decree. We are annoyed with the turnaround of events.”
Another community dweller who gave his name as Jonathan Eze said narrated that the situation can only be ameliorated if the federal government could revive the project.
According to Mr. Eze, “We are appealing to the federal government to make the project work like its counterpart at Ibadan. Those people you see there are on a temporary basis. In fact, it is only one Thomas that I know that is working there on a casual basis. There is a director there.
“It is very worthy to note here that we the natives of Amaho village of Okpuje donated the land. Our people have been appealing to concerned authorities to revive the livestock, but to no avail. We continue to appeal to the federal government to look at this project and give it attention it deserves.”
Onowu Fredrick Ogbanya is the traditional prime minister of Okpuje community. He said, “We donated those hectares of land to the federal government to establish the livestock farm and also to attract development to our community. It operated for about four years and became dilapidated. Then, pigs were reared, and we purchased them and also the manure for crop production. Suddenly, it began to collapse, making our dream an impossibility.
“The intention for the donation of the land also included to make the place a platform for our people to gain knowledge of livestock management. Our people never really benefitted from the project because many were not employed, but we were hopeful that with time, all things would harmonise. I recall that one Agonsi was the first project manager of that site.”
FG still pays
Mr Ikechukwu Omeje is the only employee of the federal government working at the farm. He acknowledged being the only worker, adding however that there are some ad-hoc staff members within. On whether FG pays him as well as the retirees of the farm duly, he said, “This is a federal establishment. Whatever is due to workers of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture across the federation is also extended to the workers here. There is no discrimination.” He however directed our reporter to the Abuja office of the ministry for more clarifications, claiming that there is a communication procedure in the civil service.
Abuja keeps mum
Efforts to hear from the headquarters of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture in Abuja did not yield any results as the phone number on the ministry’s website was no connecting. But an insider, on condition of anonymity, attributed the neglect to religion.
Enugu State government reacts to the abandonment
Hon Patrick Uburu is the commissioner for agriculture in Enugu State. He expressed the readiness of the state to revive the farm.
According to him, “Despite that it is federal, it also belongs to the state. We shall get a system to run it in the interest of the state and Nigeria at large. My mandate is to reactivate everything that is dormant. Our own is to ensure that everything is maximally operational. We want to know the potentials of that place, and then how to harness them. I will write His Excellency, and we ascertain those with the capacity to harness what we have there for the good of all.”
