The House of Representatives has directed its Committee on Agricultural Production and Services to investigate the non-delivery of 2,000 tractors and 100 combined harvesters under the Presidential Food Security Initiative and Hope Agricultural Mechanisation Drive, despite a signed agreement valued at N3 billion.
Additionally, the Committee will examine a N138.61 billion agreement between the Federal Government and AFTRADE DMCC for the establishment of a tractor assembly plant in Nigeria, a deal intended to enhance the nation’s agricultural mechanization efforts.
This resolution was reached on Tuesday during plenary following a motion sponsored by Saba Adam, representing Edu/Moro/Patigi Federal Constituency in Kwara State.
The agreements were designed to support President Bola Tinubu’s emergency declaration on food security, with agricultural mechanization as a cornerstone of boosting food production amid soaring food inflation and widespread hunger.
According to Adam, the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security signed contracts with John Deere Tractors for the annual supply of 2,000 tractors, associated implements, and 100 combined harvesters, alongside provisions for after-sales services and training. A parallel five-year agreement with AFTRADE DMCC aimed to establish a tractor assembly plant producing 2,000 Belarus tractors and 9,022 agricultural implements annually.
“These agreements, if implemented, promised significant benefits, including increased agricultural production, technology transfer, and reduced foreign currency expenditure through local production,” Adam stated.
However, Adam lamented that, over a year later, no equipment has been delivered, delaying Nigeria’s food sufficiency goals and hampering the “Renewed Hope” agricultural agenda. He noted that two farming seasons have been lost due to the failure to deliver the promised tractors and implements.
The lawmakers, presided over by Speaker Tajudeen Abbas, overwhelmingly supported the motion. The Committee on Agricultural Production and Services has been tasked to investigate the agreements’ status, probe the procurement and distribution of farm implements, and report back within four weeks for further legislative action.
This inquiry seeks to uncover the reasons behind the non-implementation of the deals and ensure accountability in the use of public funds earmarked for agricultural development.
