Oke-Aro Pig Farm: A case of neglected goldmine- Stakeholders

Though, the federal government is talking of expanding Central Bank of Igeria’s Anchor Borrowers’ Programmes to grow agriculture, one area of neglect is piggery.
For now stakeholders who ran the Oke Aro Pig Farm, easily the biggest of such in West Africa, have to provide basic infrastructures like roads,drain ages and water to power the mtiu milion naira business concern.
Yet the Piggery, which has a direct job provision of not less than 10,000 sits on about 20 hectares  of land is yet to get such attention.
With about 5000 pens in the two farms on a land that belongs to Ogun State but was taken on loan by the Lagos State Government, lack of infrastructure by the owner government only meant high cost of doing business by the farmers who are not fettered but determined to make ends meet.
Some of the stakeholders spoken to when Newdawn visited the sprawling farm spoke of how the two pig farms cooperative societies have kept business going with levies by farmers.
In spite of the fact that the farms were established by the Lagos State ministry of agriculture about two decades ago and powered under the Directorate of Employment Programme (NDE), lack of basic infrastructures like water-main component of Pig farming- has turned the sprawling community to a government of its own.
Yet,the pig farmers are seemingly undaunted as its mandatory for each of them to belong to one of the cooperatives which has become a government on its own even though the Lagos agriculture ministry collect regular taxes and levies on each Pig sold.
For now, each farmer is expected to abide by the rules of engagement like payment of security dues (no government security), forbid roaring of animals in the farm, clear overgrown weeds and to dispose dead pigs properly.
In fact, this infraction of late led to clashes between the team engaged by the Oke-Aro/Matogbun area community development council in fixing the Matogbun -Oke Aro Road.
To guarantee safety and control its security, artisans employed by pig farmers had to leave the premises latest by 7pm daily.
For now, running the biggest piggery farm in West Africa,is  entirely left to operators who nevertheless shoulder the task of providing infrastructure while government do the collection of taxes, levies and regulation, which in itself makes the pig probably more expensive.
Perhaps if Anchor Borrowing Programme is extended to this obscure gold mine, this could encourage more farmers, expanded the production with its ready market and providing more jobs for those who may not raise enough capital as start-up and reduce unemployment in probably the most virile border town in Nigeria in spite of its dearth of basic infrastructure