Farmers at Shasha Reserve Farm settlement in Ife South Local Government Area of Osun State, are calling on the state government to release a white paper by the committee set up to look into the circumstances surrounding the ownership of the land.
The farmers, who staged a peaceful protest to the State House of Assembly on Thursday, said that their farms and houses have been taken over by people of Ile-Ife.
Speaking on behalf of other farmers, Mr Adewale Oluwafemi said that they expected the government to have released the white paper after conducting a public hearing on the matter since April 19, 2016.
“Even the state government called for public hearing on the issue and promised to release a white paper but till today, we are yet to see anything,” he said.
Mr Oluwafemi also noted that it was unfortunate that their cash crops were being harvested by strangers after they were chased out by some thugs and timber contractors, almost about five years ago.
“We want the House of Assembly to please take a quick step on the matter in order to avoid war”, he added.
Another representative of the farmers, Mr Ajibola Jamiu, who said they have been on the farm since the year 2000, appealed to the state government to come out in clear terms on the land issue.
Mr Jamiu said that although they were not addressed by the House of Assembly members, they had confidence in the lawmakers’ ability to resolve the matter before it degenerates into crisis.
They are to return to the House of Assembly at a later date.