The tractors that were distributed to 20 of Oyo State’s 33 local government areas in 2013 might have developed wings.
And to know whether or not the 320 tractors are deployed for the purpose they were bought, the Oyo state assembly has mandated the House Committee on Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters to investigate.
The committee is expected to question present and former chairmen and members of transition committees in order to retrieve the tractors from beneficiaries who have reneged, or neglected to fulfill their responsibilities on the tractors leased out to them.
To be unraveled also are the amount gained or recovered from the leasing out of the tractors and whether the four meant for hiring are at local governments.
The committee, led by Hon. Bolaji Badmos was mandated by the Assembly to submit the report of its investigation in the next three weeks.
At a plenary, Hon. Olaleru Adebayo of Kajola State Constituency who is the deputy chief whip of the Assembly, had observed that the tractors which are meant to be leased out or put up for hire may have grown wings.
The lawmaker had noted that there are information that some of the tractors were not more sighted at local governments and may have been sold out to neighboring countries.
In 2013, Governor Abiola Ajimobi had distributed 16 tractors each to 20 agrarian local government areas, out of which 12 are to be leased out for farming purposes at about N4 million each, while four are for hire.
Olaleru observed: “It was alleged that in virtually all the affected local governments, the beneficiaries did not pay back to the coffers of government as agreed. This amounts to breaching of agreement for the lease of the tractors. Investigation further revealed that, the laudable programme has suffered setback due to its politicization. The beneficiaries have taken undue advantage of the scheme for their personal benefit.
“Some of these tractors are presently not within the jurisdiction of the local government area. Some allotees have decided to take away the tractors outside the local governments. Regrettably, our own farmers that supposed to benefit from the laudable programme are being deprived through the unscrupulous act of these people,” Olaleru said.
In his contribution, Hon. Olusegun Olaleye observed that there should be no sacred cow in the course of investigation, noting that the report may be indict serving and former public office holders at different levels of government.
