Examining the real account of "400 tractors" Former Governor Lalong stated his government purchased for Plateau

Governor Lalong declared in 2018 that 400 tractors will be purchased and distributed to farmers throughout the Plateau State.
Former Plateau State Governor Simon Lalong declared in March 2018 that 400 tractors had been purchased by the state government for use by farmers around the region. Newspapers carried extensive coverage of the story, as seen here, here, here, and here.

Only forty of the tractors were on exhibit when former President Muhammadu Buhari was called to commission them. Mr. Lalong clarified that this was because not all of the tractors could fit on the Government House grounds where the ceremony was held.

Since then, there has been much debate concerning the tractors' whereabouts as Modern farm implements are still out of reach for the majority of farmers in the state.
Nigeria's Plateau State is a major producer of food. The state is ideal for large-scale farming due to its terrain, rich soil, and mild climate. However, subsistence farming continues to be the mainstay of the state's agricultural industry.
What was done by whom?
According to the state government's Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS) portal, "400 Tractors and farm implements were procured in 2019" at a total cost of "NGN 5.6 billion." "Plateau State Ministry of Agriculture, Plateau State Ministry of Finance, Plateau State Bureau of Public Procurement, Office of Accountant General, Plateau State Local Governments (17 LGAs), Tractor Owners Beneficiaries, Plateau State Government, and Commercial Banks" were the organizations and agencies that took part in the procurement process.


Dangote Refinery

The project, according to the state's Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP), was unknown to them. The director-general of the bureau, Yabilsu Dogo, responded to a Freedom of Information (FOI) request sent to his office by saying that the bureau was unaware of the transaction. The bureau was founded to guarantee accountability and openness in government procurement procedures.

"I would like to state unequivocally that the Bureau of Public Procurement is unable to respond to the inquiries you have raised because we do not maintain any data pertaining to the aforementioned Procured Tractors. In a letter, Mr. Dogo said, "May I ask the State Ministry of Agriculture if it has any such information?

Plateau Agricultural responded through its Program Manager, Ishaku Jilemsam "We strongly wish to state that we did not receive the tractors nor can we tell about the current state of the tractors and whether they are in use or not," the Development Programme (PADP) stated, "as far as we may not be able to tell whether there was such procurement of the 400 tractors in question or not."

Through its Managing Director/CEO, Susan Bentu, the Agricultural Services Training Centre and Marketing Ltd. (ASTC & M Ltd.) further stated that it was “not aware of any transaction regarding the procurement of any 400 tractors said to have been procured during the Lalong’s administration’”. The number of tractors that were purchased during that time is unknown. Since its founding, we have (had) 300 tractors for mechanized agricultural operations.

"Not one was obtained during the review period (Lalong's administration) from the Plateau State government. Since ASTC & M Ltd was never involved in the procurement process or a beneficiary, it is impossible to identify the recipients of the aforementioned 400 tractors.

Despite numerous reminders, the other agencies purportedly involved in the project's implementation or procurement did not reply to the FOI requests as of the time this report was published.

"PPP—not a straight contract"
The state government was provided with the tractors by Hakar Engineering Nigeria Limited. The business declined to formally respond to inquiries concerning its involvement in the procurement. But according to a senior company official, the transaction did not follow the standard procedure for public procurement since there was no "direct contract" involved.

The official, who wished to remain anonymous due to lack of authorization to address media representatives, elucidated the organization's function.

"There was no contract. When we proposed the tractorization concept and looked for a cooperation with the state government, that's when it all began in 2016.

"To revolutionize agricultural activities, the Plateau State Government, Hakar Engineering, and farmers collaborated in a tripartite collaboration. The plan was to give farmers access to tractors at discounted prices in exchange for extra compensation.

"Tractors cost N14 million each. Each stakeholder was expected to contribute differently in terms of funding. 30% was to be paid by the state, 10% by the local government, and 60% by the farmers.

Ten percent of the tractor's cost was to be paid up front by the farmers, with the remainder amount to be paid over the course of three years. They transfer the money into the prearranged account as long as the tractors are operating profitably.

"When the program was introduced, it included land development, community farming, youth empowerment, mechanization, and agricultural development. In order to assist farmers to purchase tractors and advance agriculture, the government intended to subsidize the tractors.

"I'm not sure if that was misunderstood, but when we were drafting the Memorandum of Understanding with the government, it was now presented as a contract to deliver tractors instead of the MoU. Instead of a straight contract, it was a funded Public-Private Partnership (PPP) initiative.

Where are the tractors and in what quantity?
Less than 100 tractors were given, despite the government's initial plan to obtain 400 tractors through the PPP arrangement, the firm official said.

The proposal called for the supply of 400 tractors in stages. After a few delays and the initial batch of over ninety, which we brought, it never really took off again. I'm not sure why it ended.

What we requested and received
Numerous farmers who received the provided tractors claimed they haven't been content ever since. A few of them voiced remorse for devoting their resources to obtaining the equipment.

A Jos North LGA beneficiaries cluster recipient who requested anonymity stated his displeasure, asking to be named so he is not disqualified from agreements in the future. In exchange for receiving the subsidized tractors, the government required N1.5 million from each beneficiary via the All-Farmers Plateau Multi-Purpose Cooperative Limited.

The Massey Ferguson brand of tractors, complete with all of the tools, was the type that the farmers decided upon. However, the contractor used a different brand (Deutz Fahr) that is not native to our terrain. Following the beneficiaries' observation, the contractor and a government representative told the farmers that there will be spare parts and service stations available in every senatorial zone in the state to prevent any malfunctions.

"Trailers, the remaining components, were never delivered. Never were the replacement components provided. The majority of the Throughout the first few months, tractors broke down. The agreed-upon service centers were never built. This brand of tractor could not be repaired by qualified mechanics.

"The beneficiaries were not given access to any information about the remaining tractors after the contractors left Plateau State."

The reason behind our non-participation: farmer groups
At the time of the plan, John Wuyep served as the chairman of the Plateau State branch of the All-Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN).

"The tractor was an intervention program; 10% was paid by the local government units and 30% by the state government. It wasn't AFAN; rather, it was a project of the Plateau All Farmers Multi-Purpose Cooperative, according to Mr. Wuyep.

Nigeria's All-Farmers Association (AFAN)
Nigeria's All-Farmers Association (AFAN) "Some people went as cooperatives and benefited, although most of them were private citizens. Since it was the first batch, we reasoned that we should wait for the later batches, which were never delivered. It was an election year and a government arrangement. Everything came to an end after the election, and some people received their money back.


The program piqued the interest of the Small-Scale Women Farmers Organization in Nigeria (SWOFON). Mary Afan, one of the group's executive officers, gave an explanation for why the group ultimately decided against taking part in it.

"We were required to pay a sum of money over one million dollars, and small-holder female farmers do not possess such funds.

We informed them that, as female farmers, we don't need those large tractors—power tillers would suffice that women are capable of operating, hence those ought to be included so that women may access and afford them.

"A power tiller at the time cost N190,000, but they chose not to purchase one. When discussing food security, large farms and tractors come to mind, but small-holder farmers are the ones that create the goods you find in the stores. Large farms aim for industrial usage or exports.

"Vegetables, cereals, tubers, and other products are produced by small-holder farmers, but you virtually ever see their benefits when the government wishes to help them. Because they don't own farms, either the political farmers gather and sell, or the large farmers profit. We have food insecurity as a result of small farmers being disregarded. The actual Farmers are not given the necessary assistance.

"I purchased a tractor for my own use."
During the Lalong administration, a local government chairman claimed to have acquired one of the tractors. He also had a conversation on the condition of anonymity with this reporter.

"Our local government contributed 10% of the money as specified in the agreement," he declared. People made individual contributions as well. N1.4 million was provided by individuals. I purchased a tractor for my own usage. We did not receive one, even though my local government paid the required amount to obtain one for the Agric Department.

"I received one of the initial batch they shared, which was for individuals. However, we were assured that the local government's will be supplied, however as of right now, that has not been completed. Not every one of the 17 LGAs shown interest in obtaining for their councils. A couple of us paid for the council, but we were not given anything.

The Ministry of Agriculture handled the entire process at the state level. That tractor was just a name; it's currently broken down and being towed to a repair shop in Shendam. I have lost a lot of money on it, and even if I sold it, I wouldn't get my money back.

"No specialist was available for repairs. Although it was agreed that three centers would open in tandem with the workshops in each of the three zones, nothing of the sort occurred. We weren't even provided the trailer as assured. All we had were the ridgers, the plough, and the harrow. How much I paid for that tractor! I'm sorry I bought the tractor because I didn't use it.

"Using the tractor, the plan was to assist rural farmers in cultivating their land at a reduced cost. A few individuals made deposits so they could utilize the tractor on their farms. People are furious, and we are searching for money to reimburse individuals who made the payment.

"Some people sold theirs in the first few months, but I used mine to work in the community and provide subsidized assistance to others." The deal concerned Massey Ferguson supplies, where qualified mechanics are in high demand and parts are easily obtained.