Abia agric trainees accuse government of abandoning them since 2024

About 28 youths from 17 Local government areas of Abia State who were trained in joint Federal and State government agricultural and empowerment programme at Osun State have cried out that they have been abandoned by the State government.

The youths, who said that the three-week program took place in November 2024, alleged that the Abia State government officials authorized to provide them with support for production and commercialization have abandoned them.

They specifically accused the Abia State Ministry of Youth and Sports and Development, as well as Ministry of Agriculture, of allegedly failing to release the funds approved by the State government for them to start production and commercialization.

Speaking through Ogbonnaya Peter, Orji Ijeoma and Ojimgba Favour, the 2024 trainees regretted that over 300 Abia youths who were trained in Nasarawa State had been completely provided with funds by the Abia State government, while their own matter had been abandoned.

“We were told that the State government had released funds and up till now, nothing has happened. Some groups that went to Nasarawa have gotten every necessary support.

“But since we came back, we have been abandoned like orphans. But we know that Governor Otti may not be aware of it that is why we are appealing for his intervention”,  Ogbonnaya alleged.

But responding to the youths’ claims, Abia State Commissioner for Agriculture, Dr. Cliff Agbaeze said that “the State Government is currently putting in place the necessary framework to ensure that the beneficiaries are effectively integrated into the administration’s ongoing agricultural and youth empowerment programmes.”

He noted that some of the affected trainees had personally reached out to him, either through visits or phone calls but that he assured them that they would not be abandoned.

The Commissioner, who appealed to the youths to re remain calm, cautioned them against allowing themselves to be used as instruments of political propaganda.