{{A Nigerian opposition party has condemned a government scheme to give 10 million mobile phones for free to farmers.}}<\/p>\n
The Country’s Agriculture minister said the phones would help farmers “drive an agriculture revolution”.<\/p>\n
Akinwumi Adesina said their purchase would be financed through a tax.<\/p>\n
He denied reports that the government had already set aside $400m (\u00a3249m) to buy the phones.<\/p>\n
All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) General Secretary Tijani Tumsa said the plan was a “mischievous vote-catching exercise” for the 2015 elections.<\/p>\n
“You are just creating business for the telecom companies. You are not impacting on agricultural production in Nigeria, unless the purpose is to have more phone coverage,” Tumsa added.<\/p>\n
Defending the scheme, Adesina said Nigeria had the highest number of mobile phones in Africa – an estimated 110 million – but many Nigerians in rural areas did not have them.<\/p>\n
“Our goal is to empower every farmer. No farmer will be left behind,”Adesina said in a statement.<\/p>\n
Agencies<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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