Farmer and State Government Present Conflicting Claims
A farmer, Bello Zabarmawa, has refuted claims made by the Ogun State government and Governor Dapo Abiodun regarding the ownership of a 200-hectare rice farm in Magboro, Obafemi-Owode Local Government Area.
Zabarmawa asserted that the rice plantation, which the Governor inaugurated on 19 August, is a private venture funded by him, not a state government project as claimed.
Zabarmawa, a special adviser to the Kebbi State Governor, explained that he leased 220 hectares of land in Magboro in 2019 after his associate, Haruna, identified the area as suitable for rice cultivation.
He financed the project under his company, Alubarika Farms, by offering interest-free loans to about 200 local farmers, empowering them to grow rice on individual plots.
The farmer confirmed that while the Ogun State government did provide some support, it was far from the full backing implied by Governor Abiodun during the flag-off ceremony.
“When I started, the Ogun State government promised and paid 50 per cent of the clearing cost, while I paid the balance,” Zabarmawa stated.
He added that the government also partially subsidised the cost of fertilisers, covering N22,000 of the N45,000 cost per bag, while he bore the remaining N23,000.
However, Zabarmawa clarified that the majority of the financial burden, including daily labour costs of up to N400,000, has been on him. “I’ve brought in three bulldozers now. I’m the only one paying for now. I paid N600,000 to bring the bulldozers to the farm and I pay N400,000 labour on each of them every day,” he noted.
Zabarmawa expressed disappointment that despite his efforts, the Ogun State government has yet to fulfil its promises of further support.
He called for more government assistance, particularly to scale up the project to his planned 1,000-hectare goal, noting that he had already provided loans totaling N4 to N6 million to 60 farmers, many of whom he claimed have since become millionaires.
“There was a time I wanted to harvest, the governor himself came here. The commissioner has been here twice. It was the governor who flagged off the harvest. I was very happy that day,” Mr Zabarmawa disclosed. “But, I still need government support.”
Farmers in the region, including Abu Garba, a bureau de change operator turned rice farmer, confirmed receiving significant support from Zabarmawa, with Garba stating he harvested 500 bags of rice thanks to a N5 million loan.
Similarly, Yusuf Sulaiman, Secretary of the Alubarika rice farmers, affirmed that Zabarmawa was the one bankrolling the farmers and footing the bills.
The controversy erupted after Governor Abiodun, during the rice harvest flag-off on August 19, implied that the project was a state-led initiative under the Ogun State Economic Transformation Project (OGSTEP), which has World Bank support.
During the event, the Governor announced that the 200-hectare farm had generated N1 billion in revenue for the 200 farmers involved and declared plans to expand the project to 2,000 hectares, with the goal of generating N30 billion.
“From here, I can feed the rest of the country. We will scale up this project immediately from 200 to 2,000 hectares,” Abiodun said at the event. “We can generate N30 billion in revenue. We can take significant steps towards realizing that vision of making Ogun State the food basket of this country.”
The Governor’s comments suggested that the State was taking the lead in the project, raising questions about Zabarmawa’s involvement.
In a swift response, the Ogun State government, through a statement by Hon. Kayode Akinmade, Special Adviser to the Governor on Media and Strategy, dismissed Zabarmawa’s claims and criticised the PM News report that initially broke the story.
Akinmade called the report “biased” and “riddled with half-truths”, denying that the State had claimed full ownership of the farm. He emphasised that the project is a partnership between the government and private individuals, with the state contributing 65 per cent of the overall production cost.
“The Ogun State Economic Transformation Project (OGSTEP) is aimed at improving the livelihoods of farmers by providing support through discounted mechanisation, technical training, access to quality seeds, and linkage to off-takers,” Akinmade clarified.
He added that the rice project, known as the Alubarika Rice Farm Cluster, is one of many state-supported farming clusters designed to enhance food production and boost the local economy. He also acknowledged that the state had provided the farmers with discounted inputs and mechanisation services while organising them into clusters for efficient production.
Akinmade further noted that Governor Abiodun, during the harvest, praised the private sector’s role in boosting rice production and recognised the contributions of farmers like Zabarmawa. The Governor, he said, did not claim ownership of the farm, but rather supported the initiative through State resources.
The Ogun State government also reiterated its commitment to enhancing food security through the OGSTEP initiative, which has already supported over 30,000 farmers across various clusters, including rice, groundnuts, and maize farms.
In addition to the Magboro rice farm, Akinmade said the State has implemented other agricultural interventions, such as a 75-hectare rice farm in Ayiwere and a 50-hectare groundnut farm in Ipokia.
“Other interventions include the 75 hectares Ayiwere rice cluster, Kopape; 82 hectares Omoluabi farmers maize cluster, Iwoye, Imeko local government; 50 hectares groundnut farm, Ipokia, 180 hectares Isokan Lagba cassava cluster, Owode, Obafemi-Owode LGA; and Ifesowapo group maize cluster and Ibukunoluwa group maize cluster in Idekan, Ijebu North local government,” he stated.
“If the state government, with OGSTEP has done all of these projects without laying claims to ownership, it will be preposterous and mischievous for anyone to allege that that government has claimed ownership of the Magboro rice farm.”
Akinmade added, “To us, this report by PM News was prompted by idleness or instigation by political buccaneers and enemies of the government, envious of the monumental achievements of the Abiodun-led administration in Ogun State. We, hereby enjoin PMnews to desist from this type of jaundiced report to save the newspaper from losing the last vestige of its integrity and dignity.”
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