The Federal government has been urged to review the Land Use Act in the country as the purpose for its enactment has been misapplied by successive administrations.
A Professor of Agricultural Economics, Uzochukwu Onyebinama gave the advice on Wednesday while delivering the 63rd Inaugural Lecture of Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Abia State.
He posited that the Land Use Act did not guarantee farmers security of tenure as the lands acquired by the government for agricultural purposes were used to build housing estates motor parks and other non-agricultural ventures.
” They take the land, they turn around and give it to their cronies for housing estates, motor parks and all these and that thereby depriving agriculture of the basic resources for production.”
Professor Onyebinama,while advocating for increased funding for Agricultural research in Nigeria, called for provision of necessary facilities and increased credit to real farmers in rural areas to boost productivity and profit.
The Agricultural Economist who asserted that the quest for zero-hunger in the world campaign by United Nations Sustainable Development Goal is not achievable, posited that the crusade should be freedom from hunger where people, no matter how poor, should eat at least two proper meals a day.
He also urged the Federal government to conduct a census of all genuine farmers in Nigeria, to ensure that funds for agriculture are not diverted into the hands of fake farmers.
He further said that the 29,388 Square kilometers of the entire South East land entails that the Federal government should jettison any idea of using South East lands for Ruga program.