By Correspondent in Ilorin
Cashew farmers in Ora community, Ifelodun Local Government Area and their counterparts in Foko-Oja and Aboto-Oja communities in the Asa Local Government Area all in Kwara state have expressed displeasure over the deplorable condition of rural roads in the two local governments.
The farmers expressed their feelings during the inauguration of hand pump boreholes at Magbon, Foko-Oja and Aboto-Oja communities of the state, donated by OLAM edible nut (cashew) factory.
According to them, the sorry state of the rural roads in the state had made movement of their produce to market difficult.
Speaking, one of the community leaders in the Ora community, Chief Amusa Ishola, called on the state government to come to the rescue of the farmers by making rural roads motorable and ease movement of farm produce to the township.
Isola, who decried high cost of transporting farm produce to markets, due to the deplorable situation of the roads, said that the situation had negatively affected the proceeds of the farmers.
“We are indeed grateful to OLAM for this gesture which will help solve many of household and health problems in the community.
“The stream where our people source for water is far while the problem is compounded,especially during the dry season. On the issue of bad roads leading to our area, we know that help can come from anywhere.
” We want you to also help us plead with the government to assist us and rehabilitate the deplorable road condition,” he pleaded.
Also speaking, the factory manager of the OLAM edible cashew nuts factory, Engineer Ajibade Idris, said the gesture was part of corporate social responsibility of the factory to the state.
He added that activities of the factory had to do with farm produce, such as cashew, mango among other 48 different types of agricultural produce.
“We have good relationship with the farmers and that is why we thought of giving them this hand pump borehole as part of our responsibility since we discover that they are having some problems with water in this community
“My advice to the community is for them to make use of this borehole to ensure that the purpose of providing it is not defeated,”he urged.
Idris also said that the factory had extended its gesture to its host Ogbondoroko community in Asa Local Government Area of the state in the area of healthcare services among other communities where borehole water was provided.
In his remark, Oba Akolade Adebayo, the Olora of Ora, expressed gratitude to OLAM for the gesture as well as thanking members of the farmers association for the good development being attracted into the community.
