By Terna Chikpa,
The Taraba State Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, Professor Nicholas Namessan, has dismissed claims that the state government shared Global Mini Tractors to politicians under the guise of supporting farmers.
Speaking with journalists in Jalingo on Monday, Namessan maintained that the beneficiaries of the mechanisation project are genuine farmers from rural communities across the state.
“The beneficiaries are not hidden; their names have been published and can be verified. These are real farmers who were carefully selected to benefit from Governor Agbu Kefas’ inclusive agricultural programme,” he said.
The commissioner described the allegations as politically motivated, aimed at undermining the efforts of the Kefas-led administration to improve the agricultural sector and ensure food security.
“Governor Agbu Kefas means well for the people of Taraba. His agricultural mechanisation initiative is all-inclusive and designed to promote food security, reduce unemployment, and increase the purchasing power of our farmers,” Namessan added.
Our correspondent reports that Kefas had recently flagged off the distribution of Global Mini Tractors as part of its broader initiative to modernise farming and empower smallholder farmers. The move, however, has drawn criticism from some quarters, alleging that the beneficiaries were political loyalists.
But the Commissioner insisted that the process was transparent and farmer-focused, urging critics to verify the list of recipients and support the government’s drive towards agricultural transformation.
