From Aniekan Aniekan, Calabar
Smallholder cocoa farmers in Etomi community, Etung Local Government Area of Cross River State, have protested against the planned privatisation of cocoa estates in the area by the state government.
The farmers carried placards with different inscriptions including: ‘Our cocoa estate is not for sale,’ ‘We say no to planned privatisation of our cocoa estate,’ ‘Do not deprive us of our rights,’ and ‘We won’t accept privatisation of our estate’ to register their displeasure with the privatisation policy.
Mbek Agbor-Tangban, who spoke on behalf of the protesting cocoa farmers, warned the government not to deviate from the content of the agreement.
He said the agreement was entered with their grandparents before they agreed to donate the parcel of land being used for the cultivation of the cocoa in the estate.
“The government ought to have consulted us as the landlord community, given the expanse of land we donated to them.
“We saw a publication in the June 25 edition of state government’s owned newspaper, ‘The Nigerian Chronicle,’ that the Privatization Council of Cross River State had advertised tenders.
“We became so agitated because the government wants to privatise, notwithstanding the earlier agreement with our grandparents. We should have been the first people the government ought to have consulted.
“The agreement is very clear, that if the government wants to privatise or sublet, it ought to consult first with the landlords.
“We should be the first bidder. In a situation where we are unable to bid, it can then advertise as stated in the agreement,” Mbek said.
Also speaking, women leader in Etomi community, Ntunkai Mary-Ndum stated that if the state government was no longer interested in the smallholders farmers’ scheme that is cherished by the people, they should leave their land for them.