Bayelsa elders vow to protect rice farmlands

By Ogbia Dickson, Yenegoa
Leaders of Oweikorogha and Otuan communities in Southern-Ijaw Local Government area of Bayelsa State have promised to protect rice projects in the area.
The community leaders who made the vow in separate in Oweikorogha yesterday said safety of the projects would ensure that the objectives of the project owners were realised.
It would be recalled that the Bayelsa State Branch of Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria (RIFAN) acquired 5, 000 hectares of land in each of the communities to boost rice production.
A Chief in Oweikorogha, Mr. Review Dei, said the community planned to mobilise youths in the area to secure the rice farm to ensure that the project would succeed.
“Though, we have a vigilance group already in our community, there is still the need to make further efforts to ensure that the young and the old steered clear the RIFAN project.
“In fact, locating the rice farm project in our community is a welcome development. According to RIFAN Chairman, the project is aimed at improving rice production.
“On our part, we will not relent in ensuring that the project is adequately secured for it to succeed,” he said.
Also speaking, Chairman of Community Development Committee in Oweikorogha, Mr. Wyas Wyas, said his people were prepared to man the RIFAN facilities in the area.