'There's No Additional Land For Farm Settlements In Boki' - Sir Victor Abang

Following the Governor's drive to acquire 2000 hectares of land for farm settlements in Boki and Obubra LGAs, An Indigenous Boki Business Man and candidate of the All Progressives Congress for Ikom/Boki Federal Constituency of Cross River State in the 2019 general elections, Sir Victor B. Abang [Mature] has said Boki has no additional land for the proposed project.

"My attention has been drawn to the moves by Agents of the Cross River State Government to acquire over 2000 hectares of land in Boki Local Government Area to establish another farm settlement. Such an initiative, under any pretext, should not be considered in Boki Local Government Area as there should be no additional land in Boki for such purpose. In the past, the Bokis have contributed enormous land to the government for the establishment of commercial agricultural Ventures".

"It Does not make sense why the State Government will begin another round of land acquisition in Boki LGA when it is clear that in CRS, Boki remains one of the LGA's that have donated more land to the government for commercial agricultural purposes".

"As a matter of fact, Boki LGA has an estimated population of over 300.000 persons, with a total landmass of Area: 4,000 km² 1,070 sq. mi (2,771 km2). In 1960 the Boje Cocoa Estate, Boje was established with an acquired landmass of 1,600 hectares. In 1963, 5,200 hectares was again acquired in Boki to established Nsadop Oil Palm Estate. Again, in the same year, Boki Farm Settlement with an expanse of land of 4,618 hectares was established in Borum. Sadly, all these farms which the State inherited from the old Eastern Regional Government after its creation had never been beneficial to the Boki nation in any way as compared to the huge resources which the government has generated from the farms, rather the estates have become a source of conflict, agitation and gangsterrism".

"Apart from the above-mentioned farms, Boki houses an additional four (4) integrated cocoa farm setup by the Cross River Government Ranging from integrated Cocoa Estate, Iso-Badeghe Integrated Cocoa Estate, Wula Integrated Cocoa Estate, Bamba Integrated Cocoa Estate, Bunyia Irruan that also restrict the locals from the land. Also worthy of note is the Cross River National Part Eco-Tourism Post at Buanchor and the massive expanse of land between Butatong, Okwa, and Okwango protected and preserve for wildlife protection especially Gorilla. And the yet to be completed Super-Highway Project that has engulfed large expanse of land in Boki. This is indicative of the fact that Boki Local Government Area has already donated massive land [amounting to over 35% of her total landmass] to both the State and Federal government and cannot afford to do so again since there is not much left for the large population".

"In spite of this, our people [who are mainly sedentary farmers] have remained resilient and steadfast in their quest to making meaning out of life. Bokis are not desperados rather their main concern is to earn a living in the most simple and civilized way. So, if the little land that is left is taken from us how are we going to survive? What's the future for the large population of Bokis?"

"We have donated more than enough land to the government in the past. I will rather advise the state government to channel the resources meant for the development of new commercial farms in Boki to the improvement of the existing ones mentioned above. You can adopt the new Ibiae Estate template in the already existing farms in Boki. Or better still, you can originate a different feasible, beneficial, more realistic approach to the improvement of existing farms in the LGA."

"The Bokis do not have additional land to further commercial agricultural development in the state".