Oppose planned privatization of Cocoa Estate by Cross River state government
FFRC supports the 14-day ultimatum by community and demand immediate reversal
Calls for democratic control of all Cocoa Estates side by side with massive investments in agriculture sector by the government
The Food and Farmers’ Rights Campaign (FFRC) supports the 14-day ultimatum by the women and youths of Bendeghe Ekiem community in Etung Local government area in Cross River state, over the planned privatization of the state-owed Cocoa Estate by the Governor Bassey Otu-led APC administration. Reports have it that the state government through the Commissioner of Agriculture and Irrigation, Johnson Ebokpo, has perfected plans to privatize the Cocoa Estate. This sparked protests by women and youths of the community on 5th July, 2025, who afterwards issued a 14-day ultimatum, demanding immediate reversal, while calling for dialogue.
Without equivocation, the FFRC declares its full support for the protesting women and youths of Bendeghe Ekiem community, and demands immediate reversal of the anti-poor and people policies of the Bassey Edet Otu’s administration, and that of the other past governments including Ben Ayade, Donald Duke and others. We call on the protesting community people not to back down on their ultimatum, but urge them instead, to intensify their campaigns by linking up with cocoa producing communities like Danare, Effraya and Abayong in Etung local government area and other local government areas, like Ikom, Boki, Etung, Akpabuyo, Odukpani, Akamkpa, Biased, Ogoja for solidarity supports. This, we believe, would help mount more pressure on the government to rescind its decision.
Again, this has underscored the typical pro-rich capitalist character of the Bassey Otu government, whose brazen implementation of the ruinous anti-poor policies of privatization of state assets, commercialization of social services, underfunding education, contract systems, Public Private Partnership (PPP) and other neo-liberal IMF/World Bank instigated and induced policy and programmes, have condemned the majority of Cross River state citizens to abject poverty in the midst of plenty. Like his counterparts across state and federal governments in Nigeria, who are also currently arms-in-bed with the IMF/World Bank, implementing anti-poor pro-rich policies. It’s a sad commentary on the capitalist ruling elites in Nigeria, whose characteristics include unproductiveness, clientelism, and merchant compradors mentality, all in a bid to shortchange the mass majority of workers and the poor people, for the corrupt self-enrichment of a few.
The FFRC observes that, while the Bassey Otu administration is yet to sow a seed of cocoa tree, after over two years in office, despite his repeated pledges to establish cocoa farms in many local government areas including Akamkpa, Akpabuyo, Odubra, Bekwara, Odukpam and Ikon, he’s prepared to sell off the state owed Cocoa Estates through privatization.
Interestingly, the same government had ceded 32 hectares of cocoa plots in Abonita Cocoa Estate in Etung to Ogar Assam’s family allegedly in “error”, something which it later withdrew after public uproar. A member of that family, Mr Mbu Liku is still accused of allegedly using soldiers to threaten, intimidate and assault farmers to forcefully take their produce.
For the records, the Bendeghe Ekiem Cocoa Estate which the government planned to privatize is one of the four Cocoa Estates: Danare, Effraya and Abayong, all in Etung local government area, that were established by the Old Eastern Regional Government of Michael Opara in the 1950s. Ordinarily, given the economic importance of cocoa, as an international cash crop with high returns in foreign exchange, and being the mainstay of the Cross River state economy, which citizens refer to as the “Black Gold” and the state ranking second after Ondo, as the highest producer of cocoa nationally, due to advantageous fertile soils, adequate rainfalls and favourable climatic condition, one would have expected that a serious government would invest massively in cocoa production, since it has comparative advantage.
Sadly, the reverse is the case, as most of the cocoa plantations are presently challenged with aging trees, pest and disease infestations, lack of improved seedlings varieties, non-availability of cheap credits to farmers, use of outdated and labour intensive implements like hand trowels, watering cans, hoes and cutlasses, inadequate agriculture extension workers etc. Interestingly, the global prices of cocoa beans which was sold for between $6,000-$7,000 per tonne, soared to a record high of $12,000 last December!
It’s also scandalous, that till date, the state, lacks functional modern cocoa processing industries. The FFRC notes that in 2017, former governor Benedict Ayade’s administration had initiated a N7billion Cross River state cocoa processing factory. It was expected to be completed and operational in 2018. Nonetheless, by December 2019, the facility was reported to have reached 95 percent completion, and test run was scheduled for early 2020, but it never took place. Typical of capitalist governments, however, by 2022, the factory was concessioned to a private firm known as AA Universal Agro Industries Limited! Tellingly, till date, that factory remains moribund and abandoned. This processing factory located at Ikom, has potential to create 5,000 direct jobs and generate approximately $6.8million annually.
It’s the same penchant for privatization in order to give away state owed assets to cronies, so as to enrich corrupt few individuals that led to the handing over of the popular Obudu Cattle Ranch, one of the best tourist attractions and destination in Nigeria and West Africa. The Obudu Cattle Ranch was established as a public facility in 1951 by the Michael Opara-led Eastern Regional government. Now known as Obudu Mountain Resort, during the administration of former governor Donald Duke, millions of billions of public funds were expended to upgrade and upscale infrastructure in the facility, including establishment of palm plantation, cocoa farms and the likes, so as to generate increased revenues for the government.
Ironically, the same government privatized the asset, and handed it over to Farm Fresh, a private company , spearheaded by the Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba privatization council. This led to the decline in fortunes of the Obudu Mountain Resort. Farm Fresh a dairy company, who brought in few cattle heads, had to leave and abandoned the Obudu Mountain Resort when they couldn’t manage the facilities. Not done, the government consequently handed over the facility to Aero Contractors, an aviation company, under a very dubious circumstance, when the Cross River state acquired an airline managed by Aero Contractors. Aero Contractors simply brought in few cattle heads to give semblance of doing something in the Resort, which they later sold off, when the company had issues, and left!
These obnoxious experiences of privatization of state assets notwithstanding, in 2017, the administration of former governor Benedict Ayade, again entered into another self-serving and corrupt concession agreement with CIBA Construction Limited, in a bid to again shortchange the citizens, and handed over management of the facility to CIBA Hospitality for 25 years!
The current administration of governor Bassey Otu, just revoked the concession agreement with the CIBA in March, 2025, after the state had suffered significant losses estimated at N6.8 billion, apparently resulting from assets stripping. But the state government ridiculously attributed the losses to damages and vandalisation, so as to pull wools over the public eyes and thereby veil the evils of privatization. The FFRC demands thorough investigation into these discredited concession agreements, and prompt prosecution of anyone found culpable.
From the foregoing, it’s clear that privatization of state assets have never benefited the mass majority of the citizens both at state and federal levels. Rather, it’s a conduit meant to hand over common patrimony to few rich individuals, at the expense of meeting the needs of the people.
The FFRC reiterates its opposition to privatization and all other anti-poor policies of the governments and call for their total reversals. We demand democratic management and control of all state assets including Cocoa Estates, together with massive public investments into agriculture and other sectors like healthcare, infrastructure, housing, education among others to guarantee the needs of the working poor majority, including jobs, food security, etc. We urge trade unions, pro-masses organisations and people of good conscience to prevail on governor Bassey Otu to rescind his decision to privatize the Bendeghe Ekiem Cocoa Estates and others that may have been planned for similar exercise. In any event, we call on the protesting women and youths of Bendeghe Ekiem to continue with their protests and other mass actions till their demands are met.
Eko John Nicholas
National Coordinator Food and Farmers’ Rights Campaign (FFRC)
08022634850.