The member representing Calabar and Odukpani Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Mr. Bassey Akiba, on Friday distributed cassava stems to residents of his constituency as part of an empowerment initiative aimed at boosting agricultural productivity. The exercise took place in Okoyong, Odukpani Local Government Area of Cross River State, where each beneficiary reportedly received ten cassava stems to support small-scale farming activities.
The distribution, however, sparked criticism among constituents, many of whom described the gesture as inadequate and insulting. Speaking to Vanguard, a resident, Comrade Ikposa, alleged that the cassava stems and fertiliser were part of a Federal Government agricultural intervention approved by President Bola Tinubu and released to lawmakers early last year. He claimed the items were hoarded and only distributed close to the election period for political purposes, adding that the delay reflected a failure of lawmakers and local government authorities to effectively support grassroots development.
Ikposa further alleged that the cassava stems had deteriorated after being stored for over a year and noted that the timing was unsuitable, as it was not the cassava planting season due to extreme heat. One of the beneficiaries, Doris Affia, said she accepted the ten stems to avoid embarrassing the lawmaker, despite describing the quantity as insufficient for meaningful farming. She expressed concern that rejecting the items could jeopardise her chances of benefiting from future interventions.