A Nigerian opposition party has condemned a government scheme to give 10 million mobile phones for free to farmers.
The Country’s Agriculture minister said the phones would help farmers “drive an agriculture revolution”.
Akinwumi Adesina said their purchase would be financed through a tax.
He denied reports that the government had already set aside $400m (£249m) to buy the phones.
All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) General Secretary Tijani Tumsa said the plan was a “mischievous vote-catching exercise” for the 2015 elections.
“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.
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.
“Our goal is to empower every farmer. No farmer will be left behind,”Adesina said in a statement.
Agencies
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