Agriculturist Decries Dearth of Extension Workers in C/River

An Agriculturist and Zonal Manager, Agricultural Development Programme, ADP, Mr Mark Ewa, in Cross River, South-South, Nigeria, decried the dearth of extension service workers in Northern part of Cross River state.

Ewa, who spoke in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, in Ogoja Local Government Area of Cross River on Wednesday, said that “the dearth of these staff in the zone had affected food security in the area and the state in general.”

He lamented a situation where the 257 cells in the zone, which are supposed to be manned by no fewer than 80 extension workers but could only boast of 11.

“This is very sad, and it is adversely affecting the growth and development of agriculture in the area. Sadly, this is that part of the state where you have huge agricultural potential in the state.

“When I joined service in 2014, we had about 74 extension workers here, which I considered inadequate.

“But, things were moving fine, but I can’t even say anything close to that now that we have just 11 in the whole zone,” Ewa said.

The zonal manager attributed the dearth of extension workers in the zone to retirement.

NAN/Shakirat Sadiq