The House of Representatives has resolved to investigate the non-delivery of the Federal Government’s 2,000 tractors, 100 combined harvesters and other agricultural implements under the renewed hope agenda of President Bola Tinubu.
In November 2023, the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security signed a 5-year agreement with a private company to supply 2000 tractors, implements and 100 combined harvesters annually, totalling $70,041,733.80 and N2,981,739,134.30.
The move by the federal government is expected to reduce food inflation by increasing food production and reducing foreign currency expenditure on the purchase of ready-made equipment due to the growth of local production amongst others.
Sadly one year later, no single tractor has been delivered.
According to Honorable Saba Adam who moved the motion on the floor of the house on Tuesday, the non-delivery of these tractors and implements is a setback to the Renewed Hope Agenda in Agricultural mechanisation and this poses a challenge to Nigeria’s food sufficiency ambition, as two farming seasons have been lost since the signing of the agreements.
The speaker adopted the prayers and mandated the Committee on Agricultural Production and Services to investigate the non-delivery of the machines as stated in the agreement and report back within four weeks.
