A member of the House of Representatives, Bassey Akiba, distributed cassava stems to people in Calabar and Odukpani Federal Constituency in Cross River State on Friday as part of an empowerment effort meant to support farmers.
The distribution took place on January 25, 2026, in Okoyong, Odukpani Local Government Area, where each person received ten cassava stems.
Soon after the exercise, many residents raised concerns, saying the items were too small to make any real impact.
Some people who collected the stems said the gesture looked more like a public show than real support for farming.
One resident, Comrade Ikposa, explained that the cassava stems and fertilizers came from a Federal Government farming programme approved by President Bola Tinubu last year.
According to him, the materials were kept for many months and only brought out close to the election period for political gain.
He added that the long storage made the stems dry and weak, while the present weather with strong heat is not good for planting. He blamed lawmakers and local council leaders for not releasing the items on time to help farmers.
A beneficiary, Doris Affia, said she accepted the ten stems only to avoid offending the lawmaker and to remain eligible for future assistance.
She explained that the number given could not cover even a small farm.
However, a supporter, Hoe Ita, defended the lawmaker and said that at least something was done, unlike claims that no effort had been made for the people.
Attempts to speak with Akiba were not successful as he did not respond to phone calls.
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