The deplorable state of road leading to Takushara and Mararaba Takushara communities in Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) of the Federal Capital Territory is said to be severely affecting economic activities in the communities.
Farmers, the most affected, said that the condition of the road has resulted in heavy losses as a result of the difficulties and challenges they go through to transport farm produce to the market.
This situation, they said, has compelled many of them to wonder if the community is indeed part of the nation's capital.
A farmer in Takushara, Saleh Haliru, said the situation does not only pose a challenge to trading and economic activities of farmers in the community, but has also left them poor.
Explaining the importance of farming, he said: "A country must be able to feed itself before thinking of any other thing. People must be self-sufficient in terms of food before thinking of what they will do for their country. If people are hungry, they won't have time for other things. A hungry man can be easily incited to foment trouble.
"If there is foods in abundance, the huge amount of money government spends on medical services will reduce because most of our illnesses are related to the nature of our food. Either the food is not sufficient or it lacks nutrients necessary for healthy living."
Haliru, who also said they are always cut off from other communities whenever it rains heavily, appealed to the authorities of the area council for aid as they risk losing their source of livelihood.
He noted that government's free supply of fertilizers and other agricultural inputs to farmers would be in the right direction, adding that such packages would enhance activities of local farmers.
"Our major economic activity is farming. If government can provide us with fertilisers at the right time and right quantity, I'm confident that we will make a lot of progress," he said
(Daily Trust)
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