From: Linus Oota, Lafia
Nasarawa state House of Assembly has accused an aid of Governor Tanko Al-Makura of diverting fertilizers meant for farmers in the state.
The governor’s aid was said to have converted the items for personal use, the state House of Assembly alleged.
The Assembly equally directed Governor Al-makura to arrest, prosecute and sacked government officials indicted in the fertilizer scam.
Speaker of the Sssembly, Hon. Balarabe Abdullahi, who gave this directive, on Wednesday, on the floor of the House, while responding to a motion moved by the chairman of the house committee on Agriculture, Hon. Abubakar Kana, on the need for the House to investigate alleged cases of fertilizer diversion by government officials in the state.
The Speaker explained that the resolution of the House to the governor would serve as deterrent to others and build confidence in the governor’s administration in the state.
He said that the house would also investigate the alleged diversion of fertilizers by government officials in the state.
He commended the governor for distributing fertilizers at a subsidized rate of N4,000 per bag to the farmers and called on farmers to report any case of diversion of fertilizers in their communities to the appropriate authorities for necessary action.
According to him “Let appreciate and thank the mover of this motion, it is a very serious matter and we cannot sit down here to allow some government officials scheduled with the responsibilities of distributing fertilizers to the farmers in their respective communities to sabotage Almakura’s good efforts.
“This house will not allow any body to sabotage Gov.Almakura efforts in boosting food production in the state and we will not hesitate to advise the state government not only to arrest, prosecute any government official who is found in diverting fertilizers meant for farmers, but they should also be relieved of their appointment to serve as deterrent to others” he said
Earlier, the Chairman of the agriculture committee in the house Hon Abubakar Kana (APC-Kokona West) explain that his motion was based on the fact that there are cases of fertilizers diversion in some local government in the state.
Hon Kana called for investigation of the alleged fertilizers diversion by some government officials in some local governments and development areas in the state.
Hon Ibrahim Muluku Aggah(APC-Nassarawa Eggon East) seconded the motion on the need for the house to investigate alleged fertilizers diversion by some government officials.
The house unanimously agreed and passed a resolution directing Gov.Almakura to arrest, prosecute and relieve any government officials found in diverting fertilizers meant for the state farmers.
The governor had in early July flag off the sale of fertilizers to farmers in Jenkwe, Obi Local Government Area, at a subsidized rate of N4, 000 per bag, adding that the state government would spend N1 billion on the procurement of 10,000 tonnes of fertilizer for the 2017 cropping season.