Reps probe non-delivery of 2,000 tractors, other equipment promised by Tinubu

The Home of Representatives has launched an investigation into the non-delivery of two,000 tractors and 100 mixed harvesters promised by President Bola Tinubu in 2023.

The tools, valued at $70 million and ₦2.98 billion, had been to be delivered below the Presidential Meals Safety Initiative and the Renewed Hope Agricultural Mechanisation Drive.

The Home’s choice to probe the initiative adopted a movement moved by Saba Adam (APC, Kwara) on Tuesday throughout plenary.

In his movement, Mr Adam famous that the farm tools had not been delivered, stressing the necessity to examine your entire procurement course of.

The legislator defined that below the Presidential Meals Safety Initiative (PFSI), the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Meals Safety had entered right into a five-year settlement with AFTRADE DMCC for the institution of a tractor meeting plant. The plant was to supply 9,022 agricultural implements and a pair of,000 Belarus tractors yearly, at an estimated value of $684.1 million for the tools and ₦138.6 billion for supply and meeting.

He acknowledged that the settlement, if correctly carried out, would have important advantages for the nation, together with elevated agricultural manufacturing, expertise switch, and a discount in international foreign money expenditure on ready-made tools as a result of progress of native manufacturing.

“A 12 months after the agreements had been signed by the Nationwide Agricultural Improvement Fund and the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Meals Safety, no single tractor or implement has been acquired in Nigeria, regardless of the massive public funds concerned in these transactions,” he stated.

“The non-delivery of those tractors and implements is a setback to the Renewed Hope Agenda in agricultural mechanisation and poses a problem to Nigeria’s meals sufficiency ambitions, as two farming seasons have been misplaced because the signing of the agreements.

“There’s a want to analyze the non-delivery of the tractors, implements, and mixed harvesters over a 12 months after the agreements had been signed, in addition to the standing of the tractor meeting vegetation envisioned by the agreements,” the lawmaker added.

Consequently, the Home mandated its Committee on Agricultural Manufacturing and Providers to analyze the procurement and distribution of the tools.

The movement was adopted with out debate. When put to a vote by Speaker Abbas Tajudeen, the voice vote in favour of the movement was unanimous.

Meals disaster in Nigeria

Nigeria has been experiencing a pointy enhance in meals costs in recent times, a development that worsened in 2023 following President Tinubu’s removing of petrol subsidies and the adoption of a floating trade fee for the naira.

This shift has led to a steep enhance in the price of staple meals, pushing many Nigerians additional into poverty and heightening meals insecurity.

The persistent surge in costs over the previous 12 months has led to the closure of a number of farms and companies, with many agricultural producers scaling again their output as a result of insecurity and unpredictable climate situations affecting rural areas.

In response, Mr Tinubu declared a state of emergency on meals insecurity in July final 12 months, aiming to fight rising meals prices. Regardless of these efforts, meals inflation has continued unabated.

In July, Mr Tinubu unveiled some proactive measures meant to deal with skyrocketing meals costs within the nation. Amongst the measures was suspension of duties, tariffs, and taxes on the importation of important meals gadgets similar to beans, wheat, and husked brown rice.

Nevertheless, regardless of these interventions, meals inflation has proven little signal of easing.