The latest agreement between the Taraba State government and Czech Republic for the supply of 750 tractors has left tongues wagging.
In a statement dated June 20, 2023, the Taraba State Governor, Dr. Agbu Kefas, said he had “taken a giant step towards kick-starting the revitalisation of the agricultural sector in the state by signing an agreement with the Czech Republic for the supply of 750 tractors to the state”.
The statement, which was signed by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Yusuf Sanda, stated that the deal was reached with an “international company, Knight A. S from the Czech Republic”.
“The governor said the agreement is for the supply of 750 new global multi-purpose mini tractors and 100 sets of Cabrio compact tractors, accessories, tools, and spare parts for small and medium scale farmers in Taraba state.
“Dr Kefas reiterated the commitment of his administration to collaborate with foreign investors to modernise farming practices in the state so that local farmers can compete globally.
“The agricultural machinery and accessories are to be delivered within the first 100 days of his administration,” the statement added.
But while tongues have begun to wag on the way similar equipment were managed in the past, The Nation’s findings showed that a similar agreement was reached by the immediate past administration with the Czech Republic. There are also fears that tractors procured by the immediate past administration cannot be accounted for.
Investigation showed that in 2018, as part of Democracy Day celebration, the Taraba State Governor, Darius Dickson Ishaku, launched 30 tractors.
Ishaku, who addressed a large crowd of supporters, stated that the provision of 30 tractors was due to the fact that the Tractor Hiring Unit (THU) in the state had failed to produce results hence the need to ‘change strategies’.
lso, towards the 2019 cropping season, the Taraba State government had flagged off the distribution of 100 mini-tractors for sale to farmers at subsidized rate across the State to boost agriculture.
Then towards the 2021 cropping season, the then governor disclosed that the state had signed MoU with the Czech Republic for the supply of mini tractors but that clearance had not yet been given by the federal government.
It cannot however be ascertained if the 2021 agreement had been implemented and what has become of the tractors that were purchased by the previous administration. The latest pronouncement may have opened a fresh can of worms.
A small team of reporters was at the Tractor Hiring Unit of the Ministry of Agriculture over the issue, but officials there said they were not permitted to speak on the issues. They however directed the team to meet the mother Ministry in order to get clearance for the Unit to speak.
When the team eventually met with the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture, he told the team that a report had been submitted to the Office of the Secretary of Government of the State and that the team must seek permission from the SGS or apply for any information on the matter.
But the Secretary to the Government of the State, Barrister Gebon Timothy Kataps, told the team that he would need to study the report before making any comment.