The Kogi State Government has saved over N20 billion through the recovery and refurbishing of 200 tractors hitherto abandoned.
Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo who disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday in Lokoja, the state capital, by his spokesperson person, Ismaila Isah, added that the tractors have been deployed for the 2024 wet season farming in the state.
Isah quoted his principal saying the measure was based on the prevailing economic situation, adding that a team of engineers was put together to revitalise the abandoned tractors procured by former governor Yahaya Bello.
The statement said farmers who were given the tractors abandoned them on different farms within and outside the state.
The governor said he set out to recover and put the tractors back to use by spending far less than what it would have cost the state government to procure new tractors for the farming season given the timing and the extra cost implications due to foreign exchange instability and logistics of importation.
Ododo disclosed that it would cost the state government over N70 million, if it were to procure one new tractor with complete accessories, adding that the figure could be well over N20 billion for about 200 tractors that were refurbished by the team of engineers at a workshop in the premises of the Kogi State Agricultural Development Project (ADP) in Lokoja.
He said, “Spending billions of naira, passing through the procurement processes, shipment and clearing would have been difficult. But we had over 250 tractors procured by the last administration but they were not well utilised by the same indigenes of our dear state. These are public property.
“So far, we have spent over N20bn in bringing up to 140 tractors back to life. If we were to buy 140 tractors or more, I think we should be talking about tens of billions of Naira and not minding the time it will take to ship, to clear, and we don’t have time to wait for all that.
“We are eager to give back to our people. So it’s working and the farmers can attest to that, the good people of Kogi State can attest to that.
“You can go to the workshop to see what we are doing because governance is all about cutting down costs for you to be able to serve your people.”
Ododo said his administration has invested over N7 billion in providing farm implements, seedlings and other essential supplies for nearly 10,000 farmers in 76 farm clusters across the 21 local government areas in the state.
“We have invested N7.5 billion and we are ready to invest more on the farmers so that they will be able to go into full-scale farming. It’s a plan. We are unveiling it gradually because everyone can’t be on the government payroll.
“We must all contribute, join hands together to develop our state so that Kogi State can be a good example for other states to learn from.
“Very soon, you will see what Kogi State will do in terms of agriculture. We will not only feed ourselves, we will feed other states and possibly export our agricultural produce,” the governor said.
