Nigeria: Oyo Assures Tobacco Farmers of Better Farm Produce Pricing

Source from:  Company News 08/14/2014

Oyo State government has assured tobacco farmers that it will not allow any company to short-change them in the course of selling their farm produce, as the Independent Tobacco Farmers Association says its relationship with the British American Tobacco Nigeria (BATN) has been cordial and rewarding.

Ambali Hammed, Oyo State commissioner for agriculture, said the present administration in the state would not fold its arms and allow any group of individuals to tamper with the welfare of farmers.

Hammed stated this during a fact finding visit to the tobacco farmers in Oke Ogun area who gathered in their numbers at Tede over the allegation against BATN by a group of individuals that the company was over using tobacco farmers and underpaying them for their products and also engaging their little children in tobacco farming, instead of them being in school.

He said his ministry read a report alleging that BATN engaged farmers' children in child labour and that was why the ministry embarked on the fact-finding visit, promising that government will not compromise in ensuring that the farmers were well remunerated for their efforts.

The commissioner however advised tobacco farmers in the state to be steadfast and continue their working relationship with the BATN without fear.

But in his remark, the chairman of the tobacco farmers, Rasheed Bakare, said the allegation against BATN was unfounded, baseless and an effort to tarnish the image of the organisation. Enditem