How Fraud and Racketeering Is Eroding The Gains Of Nasarawa Fertilizer Subsidy

Predominantly an agrarian state with agriculture being the mainstay of its economy, Nasarawa has fertile land for the cultivation of different food crops ranging from yam, cassava, sesame, millet, and maize to groundnut, Bambara nut among others.

Indeed, more than sixty percent of the state’s indigenes are farmers who engage mostly in rain-fed agriculture, even though there are concerted efforts to boost irrigation farming

The recent partnership between UNIDO and the Lower Benue River Basin Development Authority (LBRBDA) to boost food production in the multi-billion-naira Doma dam is on course as farming activities have since commenced in the lush green farmland with laydown pipes meant for irrigation farming.

However, climatic factors and long years of sustained land use, have continued to affect the yields suggesting clearly the urgent need for organic fertilizers.

To assuage this, the government has consistently committed enormous resources to the Agric sector generally and the provision of fertilizers and other farm inputs specifically. In 2021 for instance, the state government budgeted a huge amount for the agriculture sector for the provision of fefertilizersnd other farm inputs for distribution to farmers at a subsidized rate.

Farmers in Nasarawa State have grumbled over the hike in the prices of fertilizer in the state as Urea fertilizer is selling at the rate of N26,000 while Nitrogen Phosphorus Potassium (NPK) fertilizer sells for N15,000 per bag.

A large-scale farmer, Muluku Haruna in an interview decried the non-availability of fertilizer despite the hike in the price above government-approved rice as a serious impediment.

Appealing to the state governor, Engineer Abdullahi Sule to expedite action by setting up a committee to checkmate the ugly situation which he averred will lead to poor yield in the state.

Available records have shown that 1,035 metric tons of fertilizers were procured and sold to farmers at a subsidized price, the state governor Engineer Abdullahi Sule warned the committee saddled with the responsibility for the sales of fertilizer to exhibit decorum in the sales.

The state government also flagged off the sale of fertilizers and other farming inputs for three consecutive times in three and half years under Engineer Abdullahi Sule.

He, however, warned them about the diversion, hoarding, and hike, adding that any of such will not be tolerated by any official no matter his designation or connection in the state.

The state Chairman of All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), Nasarawa State chapter, Samuel Meshi in an interview confirmed that the governor is prompt in terms of flagging off sales of fertilizer for the wet season as well as dry season farming. The former Council Chairman of Akwanga described Abdullahi Sule as a farmer-friendly governor, he in addition opined that the store officer of the state ministry of agriculture and water resources.

It could be recalled that Hassan and his accomplice Ali diverted 9 trucks of fertilizer for selfish gains.

According to him, “there is no need for us as people to blame governor Sule because before the flagging off of 2022 sales of fertilizer we went to the store and we discovered that 10 trucks are missing”.

A merchant of fertilizer in Lafia market, Buhari Salisu revealed that Urea fertilizer goes for N27,000 while NPK goes for N17,000, and Kwandare fertilizer sales for N6000 per bag, while a large-scale farmer, Muluku Haruna in an interview decried the non-availability of fertilizer despite the hike in the price against the government approved price of N10,000 per bag of NPK as a serious impediment.

Appealing to the state governor, Engineer Abdullahi Sule to expedite action by setting up a committee to checkmate the ugly situation which he averred will lead to poor yield in the state.

He however warned them about the diversion, hoarding, and hike, adding that any of such will not be tolerated by any official no matter his designation or connection in the state.

The state governor, Enginerr Abdullahi Sule during the flag-off of 2022 sales of fertilizer disclosed that his administration is determined to enhance food production in the state by harnessing the agricultural potential of the state.

He stated that the state government will not be able to generate sufficient employment for the growing population, he in addition opined that his administration will take deliberate measures to evolve means of improving Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) of the state to improve on stable agro-economic society.

The governor affirmed that the state government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Mama rice company to train farmers in rice processing and marketing amongst others.

He gave reasons why the present administration in the state decided to key into the Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project (RAAMP) saddled with the task of constructing of rural roads that will enable farmers to transport their farm products to the market

In spite of the frantic measure taken by governor Abdullahi Sule to make fertilizer not only available but also affordable to the end users, some gullible civil servants in the state are hell-bent on making the subsidized fertilizer beyond the reach of farmers.

The accountant, store officer, and their accomplice from the state ministry of agriculture and water resources were nabbed and suspended over the disappearance of 9 trucks of fertilizer, the state commissioner of Agriculture and water resources, Hon Nuhu Ibrahim Oshafu disclosed this before the house committee on agriculture and water resources at the State House of Assembly (NSHA), when he appeared before the state House of Assembly committee on Agriculture for budget defense.

He said 9 trucks of fertilizer had disappeared from the store, the commissioner appreciated the lawmakers for supporting the ministry’s activities as he told the committee that the state has purchased and distributed 21 trucks of fertilizers at the sum of ₦238 million in the state.

He however pleaded with the Assembly to provide for an increase in agricultural activities in the state.

It could be recalled that the state governor, Engineer Abdullahi Sule has given strict warnings to all those involved to abide strictly by the directive of the state governor to ensure diligence in the distribution or face the full wrath of the law.

Recalled that the current administration of Engineer Abdullahi Sule has allocated the sum of N309,754,493,851.14 bn to the agricultural sector in three and half years

In the 2020 budget the total sum of N83, 171,724,438.65bn was allocated to the ministry of agriculture and water resources, which huge amount was earmarked for the procurement of fertilizer, the state government sold it to farmers to the tune of N5000 per bag.

In the 2021 budget, size of N115,722,814,543 bn, the ministry of agriculture and water resources got N6.5 bn which represents 5.9 percent of the entire budget of the state, that is to said the state government procured a bag of fertilizer for N9,300 and sold it to farmers at the tune of N7000, this was replicated in dry season farming, the state government made available 4000 bags of urea and 8000 bags of NPK, which is 38 trucks (22,800 bags) with the intent to reach 150 to 200 farmers.

In the 2022 budget size of N110,845,954,879.49bn, the agricultural sector got N4, 908,190,631.27 bn, this was the frantic measure taken to stimulate agricultural revolution through the encouragement of commercial enterprise.

It was reliably gathered that over N150m was spent by the current administration on fertilizer subsidies.