Tractor Subscribers In Plateau Issue Ultimatum To Agency Over Refunds

Ahead of this year’s farming season, Plateau State farm tractor subscribers have issued a two -week ultimatum to the Plateau Agricultural Development Project (PADP) to refund their subscription funds paid into the agency’s account.

It was gathered that about 124 farmers subscribed for the PADP tractors. Some paid N9 million, N5 million and N4 million respectively in October last year. Seventeen months after, PADP has not delivered the tractors to the farmers.

LEADERSHIP reports that over seventy stern looking farmers mostly from Plateau Southern zone  stormed the headquarters of PADP to demand for the refund in what they described as breach of contract.

Speaking to our correspondent at the premises of PADP in Jos, the spokesperson of the affected farmers Tapshak Mantu said they paid for tractors through PADP last year.

“We are here to seek for a refund of the money we paid as a result  of what I would described as a breach of contract,” he said.

He explained that the tractors PADP  brought for them is far from what was outlined in their contract agreement. “The brand of tractors they initially told us they would supply is not the one they brought. What they brought will not serve our needs. We are here pleading with State Government to refund our money,” he said.

“I subscribed to a Massey Ferguson tractor. Not because it is necessarily stronger than the others, but because it is popular and its spare parts are readily available. Whenever there is a problem, you can easily get the parts and continue working. That is why many of us preferred that option.”

Mantu  also disclosed that some farmers took loans to raise the money stressing that they have been paying interest on these loans  since last year  till now.

“Seventeen months is a long time. If you calculate it, some farmers have already paid interest that is even more than the amount they borrowed. So we are pleading with the government to please come to our aid by making the refund.”

Mantu further said, “We have incurred serious losses as a result of this delay. Infact, in the process of coming to Jos, some farmers  had accident and broke their arms. One other farmer  reportedly had a stroke. I also overheard that two people were even imprisoned because of their inability to pay back the loans they took to raise this money.

Mr. Denka Zatgak and  Pharm Henry Dabes in a separate interview explained that three brand of tractors such as  Swaraj, Massey Ferguson, and Preet were selected while majority of the farmers prefer Swaraj and Massey Ferguson.

According to them,  they do not  know the name of the tractor PADP supplied. We have never seen the type before in our lives. They say it is of higher quality than the ones we selected, but we do not know that. What was contained in the MoU with them is different from what they brought to us.

“As it stands now, we want a refund.  Majority of the people here want their money back  including myself, because  PADP has breached the agreement,” they said.

Meanwhile, the PADP Programme Manager Mr. Ishaku Jilemsan in his reaction said concerted efforts are on to end the long standing dispute between the the agency and the farmers in the state.