Nigeria’s
ministry of agriculture is under fire over what a source in the presidency
described as "inappropriate procedure" in the award of contract for
the supply of fertiliser and other development programmes.
In a recent communication to the ministry, President
Goodluck Jonathan expressed serious concern that "the over N98 billion
expended in fertilizer" to boost agriculture this year was not properly
utilized.
An insider in the presidency said the president became
worried when he ordered the ministry recently to give him an update performance
of this year's budget, He was shocked that the ministry may not be able to meet
70 per cent of the fertilizer requirement of the farmers this year.
According to the source, " President Jonathan had
promised Nigerians that he would focus on agriculture to increase food
production and storage in the country. And billions of naira was allocated to
the ministry of agriculture and its parastatals in the 2011 budget. In fertilizer
alone, over N98 billion was allocated for its supply to farmers; but from the
ministry of agriculture's records, it is obvious that the ministry will only
meet 30 per cent of the fertilizer which the federal government ordered. So,
what happens to 70 percent of it?"
The source added the presidency became more worried when it
discovered that, "The
pre-qualification, bidding, due process and the final award to all the
successful bidders or contractors that has always been the tradition in the
Federal Ministry of Agriculture was not followed. There are clear records that
the ministry decided to select three companies namely, Nortore Chemicals
Industries Limited, Federal Supper Phosphate Fertiliser Company and TAK Continental
Limited for the supply of fertilisers", the source added.
These same companies were also given fertilizer contracts in
the previous year but failed to deliver in accordance with the contract
agreement.
For example, it has been gathered that Nortore Chemicals
Industries Limited, as a new entrant into the business of fertiliser supply was
last year awarded the contract to supply 120,000 metric tonnes of fertilizer. But
the company could only supply 29,000 tonnes.
In the case of Federal Supper-Phosphate Fertiliser Company
Ltd, it was awarded a contract to supply 30,000 tonnes and they could not
deliver even one grain. Tak Continental limited was awarded 80,000 tonnes and
the company could not also complete the supply.
The source added: "The president is not interested in
who gets the contract if due process is followed, but he is deeply concerned on
the issue of the commodity not reaching the farmers it is meant for. The
problem is traceable to the states that use the products to satisfy political
friends."
Leadership
