Tractor Scandal: House Launches Investigation into Failed Presidential Initiative

Juliet Akoje in Abuja

The House of Representatives has mandated its Committee on Agricultural Production and Services to investigate the non-delivery of the 2,000 tractors, implements, and 100 combined harvesters within the stipulated period contained in an agreement under the Presidential Food Security Initiative and Renew Hope Agricultural Mechanisation Drive and inquire on the status of the tractor assembly plants contemplated in the agreements.

The House also resolved to investigate the procurement and distribution of farm implements within the purview of the Federal Department of Agriculture (FDA) in the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security and report within four weeks for further legislative action.

These resolutions followed the adoption of a motion moved by Hon. Saba Ahmed Adam at plenary yesterday.

Adam, informed the house that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu shortly after his inauguration into office, had on Thursday, July 13, 2023, declared a state of emergency on food security, and a major component put forward to boost food production was massive agricultural mechanisation across the country.

He said the declaration of the state of emergency was as a result of the food inflation in the country resulting in hunger and starvation of Nigerians. 

“This ugly trend was frowned at by Mr. President, and as part of the Renewed Hope agenda of his administration, he showed great determination to revolutionise food production in Nigeria,” he added.

According to the lawmaker “The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security has signed an agreement with John Deere Tractors to supply 2000 tractors implements and 100 combined harvesters annually, in line with the Renewed Hope target for increased food production and food security, the contract for a tractor assembly plant in Nigeria was agreed to cost $70,041,733.80 and N2,981,739,134.30, respectively, with actual equipment and delivery costs, the contract includes sales, after-sales services, spare parts, and training for mechanisedservice providers.

“The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, pursuant to the Presidential Food Security Initiative (PFSI), entered into another five years agreement with AFTRADE DMCC for establishment of a tractor assembly plant to produce 9,022 agricultural implements and 2,000 Belarus tractors annually, this Agreement was estimated to cost Nigeria about $684,190,433 and N138,613,486,965as actual equipment cost and delivery/assembly cost, respectively.

“Both agreements were laden with benefits to accrue to Nigeria if implemented, which include increased agricultural production, technology transfer, and reduction of the foreign currency expenditure on the purchase of ready-made equipment due to the growth of local production.”

The lawmaker however lamented that a year after the agreements were signed by the National Agricultural Development Fund and the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, no single tractor or implement has been received in Nigeria despite the huge public funds involved in these transactions.

According to him, the non-delivery of tractors and other implements was a setback to the Renewed Hope Agenda in Agricultural mechanisation which poses challenges to Nigeria’s food sufficiency ambition, as two farming seasons have been lost since the signing of the agreements.