Ogbeh, Onaiyekan urge IDP beans farmers to avoid Sniper

The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh and the Catholic Archbishop of Abuja, Cardinal John Olorunfemi Onaiyekan has admonished the Internally Displaced Person beans farmers in Nasarawa and Abuja not to use the deadly sniper in storing their product.

The two leaders gave the charge yesterday when they visited the IDPs Beans Market Located at AutaBalefi along Abuja-Keffi Expressway in Karu Local Government of Nasarawa State.

The market has thousands of beans farmers who were displaced from Borno State due to insurgency cultivating the product in Nasarawa and Abuja.

Ogbeh who was surprised to see the quantum of beans at the market expressed joy that the IDPs have shown that their spirit cannot be broken as they have decided to engage in meaningful ventures.

The farmers who operate in about 21 clusters produce a huge quantity of beans and were assisted through the Cardinal Onaiyekan, the Karu Traditional Council led by Etsu Karu, the FCT administration and the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and rural development.

The minister also promised to discuss with the office of the Vice President to buy the beans from the IDP farmers for the school feeding programme as well as appeal to the National Emergency Management Agency to buy from them for their programme.

On his part, Cardinal Onaiyekan said the success of the IDPs in the market has demonstrated that when religious institutions work with government, more prosperity would be achieved for the people in the country.

The Chairman of the farmers in the market, Mr Philimon Ayuba appealed to the minister to provide water, sanitation and security for them at the market.