Kogi State Governor, Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo, has pledged to protect cashew farmers and investors in the state from exploitation, multiple taxation and illegal revenue collection. He described cashew as a major economic asset with the potential to earn foreign exchange and create thousands of jobs.
The governor made the commitment on Tuesday while receiving stakeholders in the Kogi cashew industry at the Government House, Lokoja.
Ododo said the expansion of cashew farming had taken many young people off the streets by giving them a legitimate source of livelihood. He commended the stakeholders’ leadership for their continued partnership with his administration.
Describing cashew as a high-value export commodity, he insisted that farmers and other legitimate operators in the sector must be protected from exploitation. He warned illegal revenue collectors to stay away from legitimate businesses and said his administration would not hesitate to clamp down on anyone operating outside the approved revenue collection system.
The governor directed the Kogi State Internal Revenue Generation Service (KGIRS) to address multiple taxation and illegal levies affecting cashew farmers. He said such practices harm both businesses and government, since the state is deprived of funds that should legitimately accrue to it. He added that his administration would continue to block revenue leakages and strengthen the revenue system so that public resources are properly accounted for and used for development.
Ododo also expressed optimism that Kogi cashew would soon be traded in dollars, which he said would enhance the value and global competitiveness of the industry. He described Kogi as producing some of the best cashew in West Africa and assured stakeholders of continued support for the entire value chain, from production and processing to marketing and export.
The Director-General of the Kogi State Commodity Exchange, Export Promotion and Market Development Agency (KOSCEPA), Hon. Adewale Victor Omofaiye, thanked President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his support for cashew farmers. He also commended Governor Ododo for his commitment to agriculture and the sector’s development.
The Chairman of the Kogi State Committee on Cashew Export and Investment, Dr. Idris Yakubu, said the governor’s support had strengthened confidence among farmers and other stakeholders. He noted the value chain’s potential to create jobs, attract investment and boost the state’s economy, but identified security as a key concern requiring sustained attention to safeguard farmers, farms and investments.
Stakeholders also urged the governor to intensify efforts to end illegal revenue collection and multiple taxation. They asked that only duly recognised revenue offices and authorised officials be allowed to collect levies from cashew farmers and operators.
Abdulkarim Shuaib, representing Kogi Central, called for improved logistics and infrastructure so the state can maximise the benefits of multi-million-dollar investments in the industry. He also appealed for better electricity supply in major cashew-producing areas to support processing and other value chain activities.
Alhaji Suleiman Mohammed Kabir, a representative from Kogi East, raised concerns over multiple taxation. Stakeholders from Kogi West highlighted the extent of cashew farming at the grassroots and called for continued government support to unlock the sector’s full economic potential.
