‘FG could’nt have spent N873bn on fertilizer’
Malam Adamu Bello was Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development during the Obasanjo administration. In this interview with Daily Trust, he describes the recent comments by the incumbent Minister of Agric, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, over disappearance of N8
Sir, you have been minister for agriculture in this country. One of the major issues that has kept recurring in the sector is the issue of fertilizer, which we understand from the incumbent minister was been marred by corruption. What is your reaction?
Well, thank you very much for coming. Many people have spoken to me about the interview the Minister of Agriculture, Dr Akinwumi Adesina, gave when he said that from 1980 the country imported fertilizer of nearly a trillion Naira - to be precise, N873 billion - and that only 10% reached the farmers. I am very surprised that a minister can make this statement, knowing very well that the ministry he is currently heading was headed by very prominent people; very upright people, people who have achieved great positions in life. For him to come and make that statement I feel very disappointed!
For him to say that only 10% of it reached the farmers is very dishonest. First of all let me tell you, fertilizer subsidy is only 25% of the fertilizer ordered by the government. There is no way the federal government could have spent N873 billion on fertilizer procurement.
Was there massive importation of fertilizer by the federal government during your
Under the regime I worked, the emphasis I had was not to treat farmers individually, the emphasis I had was to bring farmers together. That is why for the first time in the history of Nigeria, we formed All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN). Then Admiral Murtala Nyako was the chairman. So all farmers were under one umbrella
period?
During my tenure as minister covering a period of six and half years, I did seven procurements. Subsidy certainly would not have been more than N30 billion. Subsidy element in that period was 25% of the total figure he was talking about. It couldn’t have been. So I believe, also others, that there was no massive importation of fertilizer. Perhaps the minister was using the figures of all the fertiliser coming into the country. He was talking also that fertilizer developed legs and walked away. When fertilizer is bought by government, it is sent to states and states must pay 75% of the cost. If you ordered N100 billion fertilizer, each state must pay 75% to access the commodity. The federal government pays only 25% of whatever was ordered.
I believe today, he is spending more than what others have spent because the same 25% is given as subsidy. I think he has not gotten the hold of what really took place before. The federal government never spent the kind of money he is talking about. I don’t know he sources.
Number two, that it reached only 10% of farmers. How can he talk like that? Since 1980 it only reaches 10%, how comes? Fertilizer was never controlled at the centre. Fertilizer was sent to the states, and it was committees that distributed the fertilizer. You can’t condemn all the governors, because the federal government was not in direct distribution of fertilizer. All fertilizers were distributed by the state governments. It is therefore very wrong to claim that we gave fertilizer to only 10% and that it is now that the right thing is been done. I feel that a minister shouldn’t be saying these kinds of things that he cannot back up with fact. How could he have known that only 10% got it in 1980, 1981, 1982? He keeps talking about it often and often, even in an interview he is making those claims.
In the area of fertilizer distribution, did you treat farmers individually or as a group?
Under the regime I worked, the emphasis I had was not to treat farmers individually, the emphasis I had was to bring farmers together. That is why for the first time in the history of Nigeria, we formed All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN). Then Admiral Murtala Nyako was the chairman. So all farmers were under one umbrella. We encouraged the creation of various farmers associations so
Remember that during our time, it was political leadership - no state governor or local government chairman could afford not to give his farmers fertilizer. In fact, after the federal government’s fertilizer subsidy, some states even gave their own. Some states even imported fertilizer more than what the federal government gave to them because it was important to them
that they tackle issues as groups not individually. Individually they are weak; we wanted to bring them together, so our distribution policy was not to individualize the farmers or to scatter them but to bring them together. That was our approach.
Telephoning farmers to come and get two bags of fertilizer? If it works well, fine. Every minister or regime has a right to approach these things differently, but it is important he understands why the previous people were doing it the way they did.
Even if I was to run the ministry of agric today, I will not want to treat farmers as individuals. I will encourage them to come as cooperative groups so that they work together. I don’t want them to be treated for everybody to go and get two bags of fertilizer, no. It is not the ideal position for me.
The present administration said the GES is meant for the small farm holders and not the large scale commercial farmers. How was it during your tenure?
We had a share that went to the small farmers; it was all encompassing. But to me, this one is an approach but their philosophy is different from the philosophy of how we operated before. Remember that during our time, it was political leadership - no state governor or local government chairman could afford not to give his farmers fertilizer. In fact, after the federal government’s fertilizer subsidy, some states even gave their own. Some states even imported fertilizer more than what the federal government gave to them because it was important to them. Nigeria is an agrarian country they (politicians) need the support of their farmers, you can’t give farmers only 10% fertilizer and you expect to win election, it would have been disastrous.
Are you surprised by the minister’s claims?
I am very surprised. I remembered places like Bauchi, Katsina and Nasarawa, the distribution of fertilizer was wonderful. Abdullahi Adamu, Adamu Mu’azu, late Yar’adua. Makarfi bought a lot of fertilizer because we were not importing fertilizer until the budget is passed. Sometimes Governor Makarfi used to bring his fertilizers before even the federal government. People who work like that you can’t accuse them of not giving fertilizer to their people. They were elected by the people after all and they are going back to the people to be reelected. As I told you before, the federal government was not involved in the distribution of fertilizer. There was a time that Makarfi had already procured his fertilizer, before the ones the federal government wanted to give him, he said look he had bought his own fertilizer.
I remember very well, I gave it to Yobe State because Bukar Abba Ibrahim wanted more fertilizer for his people so he got that. He told me that any time anybody is not ready to take his fertilizer, send it to me. We did not send it to anybody but we sent it to a state that made a request. That was what took place. But I don’t know why, people just sit down, they could not ask what took place; they just come out and start talking.