Farmers across the Ibeju-Lekki Federal Constituency have received renewed assurance of sustained support and advocacy from the office of the Honourable Member representing the constituency in the House of Representatives, Hon. (Prince) Bayo Balogun, MHR, following a strategic engagement with farmers in the constituency.

The engagement meeting, held to provide farmers with a direct platform to present their concerns, was represented by the Honourable Member’s Senior Legislative Aide (SLA), Hon. Samson Elemoro, alongside other members of the legislative and constituency team.

The meeting, held under the inspiring farmers’ slogan, “Great Farmer, Great Nation,” focused on critical issues affecting agricultural productivity and the livelihoods of farmers, including access to farm inputs and machinery, flooding, financial support, farm access roads, land availability, mining activities, cooperatives, fisheries and poultry production.

Speaking on behalf of the MHR, the SLA said the engagement was primarily aimed at hearing directly from farmers and obtaining accurate information about their specific needs rather than relying on general assumptions about the challenges facing the agricultural sector.

He disclosed that provisions for farm equipment, seeds and other agricultural interventions were already being considered as part of the MHR’s constituency project plans. He therefore urged farmers to submit their individual and collective needs in writing, alongside their farm locations and sizes, to enable the constituency office properly document and assess the requests.

The meeting also featured a minute of silence in honour of Alhaja Akodo, who participated in the farmers’ engagement last year before her death.

Farmers Highlight Major Challenges

One of the major issues raised by the farmers was the high cost of agricultural inputs. The Chairman of the farmers’ association in the constituency, Taiwo Kadiri, identified improved seeds, fertilisers and financial assistance as some of the most urgent needs of farmers.

He appealed to the MHR to explore ways of subsidising agricultural inputs and providing farmers with machinery, particularly tractors, to improve efficiency and productivity.

The farmers also raised serious concerns over the devastating impact of flooding on agricultural activities.

Mr. Hassan Murani disclosed that he personally suffered an estimated ₦12 million loss as a result of flooding, while appealing for government intervention, relief and possible support for affected farmers.

Farm Access Roads, Mining and Land Issues

The meeting also examined the effect of mining activities on agricultural communities, particularly the deterioration of roads linking farmers to their farms.

Mr. Murani and Mr. Hameed Agbabiaka called for appropriate intervention to address the impact of mining activities on farm access roads and the agricultural environment.

The constituency team encouraged farmers to report such challenges promptly through their association and the MHR’s office to allow timely intervention and advocacy.

On land availability, Mr. Agbabiaka expressed concern over the reduction of agricultural land arising from government acquisition and other developments. He appealed to the MHR to engage relevant authorities on behalf of affected farmers.

In response, the MHR’s Principal Aide explained that land ownership and government acquisition involve constitutional and legal considerations, stressing the importance of proper documentation and early communication of such concerns.

Support for Cooperatives, Fisheries and Poultry

The engagement also emphasised the importance of strengthening farmers’ cooperative structures to enable members to access finance, agricultural inputs, equipment and other opportunities more effectively.

The constituency team encouraged the association to submit its cooperative needs formally for consideration.

The SLA further stressed that future agricultural interventions must be inclusive, noting that the agricultural sector in Ibeju-Lekki extends beyond crop farming to include fisheries, poultry and other related enterprises.

Farmers were therefore encouraged to ensure that the final needs assessment captures the diverse agricultural activities across the constituency.

Farmers Commend Bayo Balogun’s Attention to Agriculture

Several farmers expressed appreciation to Hon. Bayo Balogun for recognising the importance of farmers and creating a direct channel through which they could communicate their challenges.

The farmers’ association secretary noted that several benefits and recognitions enjoyed by farmers in the constituency had been facilitated through the attention and interventions of the MHR.

Another farmer, who initially expressed concerns over some unresolved issues, acknowledged that the decision to organise a direct engagement demonstrated the MHR’s willingness to listen and work with farmers.

MHR’s Team Assures Farmers of Continued Attention

The MHR’s representatives assured the farmers that their concerns had been heard and would receive appropriate attention.

The SLA reiterated that Hon. Bayo Balogun considers farmers a critical component of constituency development and wants their genuine needs to guide future interventions.

The team also urged farmers to be proactive in reporting challenges, particularly those relating to mining activities, damaged access roads and developments capable of negatively affecting agricultural production.

Hon. Abbey also assured the farmers that, with God’s help, their concerns would receive attention, citing previous interventions by the MHR as evidence of his commitment to the welfare and interests of constituents.

He also referenced the MHR’s intervention concerning the alignment of the coastal road, noting efforts to ensure that the alignment was properly considered to minimise unnecessary demolition and hardship for residents.

Towards a Stronger Agricultural Future

The farmers’ engagement demonstrated the importance of continuous communication between elected representatives and the people they serve.

Beyond providing an avenue for complaints and requests, the meeting created an opportunity for the constituency office to obtain specific information that can guide future interventions and advocacy.

The planned documentation of farmers’ names, locations, farm sizes and specific needs is expected to help ensure that future agricultural interventions are properly targeted, inclusive and responsive.

Among the key recommendations from the engagement are the establishment of a comprehensive farmers’ needs register, improved access to affordable agricultural inputs, provision of farm machinery, documentation of flood-related losses, rehabilitation of farm access roads, advocacy on mining-related challenges, support for cooperative development and continued assistance for crop, fish and poultry farmers.

The farmers’ association is expected to consolidate individual requests into a comprehensive written submission for consideration by the MHR’s office.

The SLA also disclosed that additional initiatives specifically targeted at farmers are being considered by the MHR, with details to be communicated when the programmes are ready for implementation.

The meeting ended on a positive note, with both the farmers and the constituency office reaffirming their commitment to continued collaboration.

The central message from the engagement remained clear: farmers must not only be beneficiaries of development programmes but active partners in shaping the agricultural development agenda of Ibeju-Lekki.

Great Farmer. Great Nation.
Great Agriculture. Great Ibeju-Lekki.