Emmanuel Eneh has emerged as chairman of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN) in Enugu State, following a consensus election by delegates drawn from the 17 council areas in the state.

He will pilot the affairs of the association in the state for the next three years.

His emergence, alongside other members of the state executive, was ratified on Thursday in Enugu.

Other executives elected include Emma Okenwa as deputy chairman; Louis Okolo, vice chairman (Enugu East); Anthony Obasi, vice chairman (Enugu West); Boniface Eze, vice chairman (Enugu North); and Lazarus Orekeyi as secretary, among others.

Speaking during the exercise, the AFAN deputy national president and leader of the Enugu Election Monitoring Team, Daniel Okafor, commended the Enugu State government for its continued support for farmers in the state.

Mr Okafor described AFAN as a strategic body capable of influencing government policies, given its role in national development and food security.

He urged contestants to accept the outcome of the election in good faith and called for unity to enable the state to benefit from programmes of the national body.

He also charged the new leadership to demonstrate exemplary leadership anchored on peace, unity, and teamwork, noting that the association was committed to quality leadership and improved performance.

The outgoing chairman of AFAN in the state, Romanus Eze, said the election marked a significant milestone, coming after a prolonged hiatus of over seven years since the last state-level polls.

According to him, the delays were largely due to internal challenges at the national level, which he said have now been resolved.

“Our association is now one united body across Nigeria. We no longer have divisions; AFAN is one,” he stated.

He emphasised that elections are now being conducted across various states to consolidate that unity.

He expressed appreciation to the Enugu State government for its continued support, noting that the association had been actively involved in government-led agricultural initiatives.

Mr Eze described the relationship as inclusive, as AFAN members were consistently carried along in policy-making and programme implementation.

Addressing concerns about inactivity in previous years, the outgoing chairman admitted that the association had experienced a period of low engagement but assured members that a new phase of productivity had begun.

“AFAN of today is not what it used to be years back. There were complaints about inactivity, but now we are starting with action. The leadership is prepared, and there are plans already in motion,” he said.

He also warned against attempts by some individuals to create discord within the association, stressing that the Enugu chapter had remained peaceful and focused despite such challenges.

In his remarks, the state Commissioner for Agriculture and Agro-Industrialisation, Patrick Ubru, tasked the new leadership to mobilise farmers across commodity associations and develop a comprehensive database.

Mr Ubru, represented by a deputy director in the ministry, Theophilus Ivo, noted that proper registration of farmers with the ministry would enhance access to government interventions and strengthen agricultural planning in the state.

Also speaking, the Enugu State coordinator of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Ngozi Nwakaeze, urged farmers to open accounts with the Bank of Agriculture to benefit from federal government intervention programmes.

She emphasised that access to such interventions would be based on established criteria, including proper registration and financial inclusion.

In his acceptance speech, Mr Eneh expressed gratitude to the delegates for the confidence reposed in him and pledged to reposition the association for greater productivity.

He assured farmers of training and retraining programmes aimed at improving access to modern inputs and boosting agricultural output across the state.

“The AFAN you are seeing today is not that of yesterday. The change has come, and together, in unity, we will move the association forward,” he said.

Mr Eneh also pledged the association’s support to the administration of Governor Peter Mbah, noting that collaboration with government would enhance agricultural development in the state.

Highlights of the event included the presentation of certificates to the newly elected officials. 

(NAN)