The supposedly private sector
driven tractorization programme of the Federal Government has been totally
condemned and under-rated by farmers for lack of transparency as access to the
590 newly purchased tractors by the ministry could not be possible.
Many of the farmers who spoke
under anonymity wanted to know where the hiring centres of the tractors are
located across the federation adding the procurement process by the ministry
has contravened the initial plan of the private- sector driven hallmark of the
minister, Dr. Akinwunmi Adesina.
President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan
had as at last year ordered the release of 590 unit of tractors, 500 power
tillers and post harvest equipment to support farming as the Federal Ministry
of Agriculture made available the sum of N4.5billion through the Bank of
Agriculture to procure these equipment through about six incorporated companies
at outrageous contract rate.
The initial plan according to Food
Farms News finding was that the tractorization programmme will be private sector
driven as government officials will provide an enabling environment with
provision of financial support to the private sector hiring enterprises that
would be deposit in the banks where all the transaction process will take place
until the whole process was changed by the ministry over night as against to
what the minister promised the sector.
Already many farmers have
complained that the cost of tractor is higher than the open market price and
the percent of deposit for the up take was too on the high side thereby
condemning the whole process.
A massage to the minister on this issue c0ould
not receive response as his special assistant on media, Dr Oyeleye told us that
he will direct us to the man in charge of mechanization but which he never did.
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