MoFA Explains Sale Of Tractors To Govt Officials

The Ministry of Food and Agriculture says there is nothing wrong with the allocation of tractors to some government officials. It stated that Presidential Spokesman Mahama Ayariga and Majority Leader Alban Bagbin went through the due process in acquiring them.

The Sector Minister, Kwesi Ahwoi said since December 2008, a total of 450 individuals have benefited from the scheme.  

Besides, he said there were 72 other beneficiaries under the Agricultural Mechanization Services Centre (AMSEC) programme which included some officials of the previous administration.

At a press briefing in Accra on Friday in response to allegations of allocation of tractors meant for under-privileged farmers to government officials at take-away prices, Kwesi Ahwoi said the distribution of tractors has been across board for farmers, politicians as well as civil and public servants who paid the same subsidized prices.

The minister said the ministry runs two schemes to assist farmers to have access to agricultural mechanisation services including the supply of agricultural machinery to individual farmers and the establishment of the Agricultural Mechanisation Services Centre (AMSEC).

Mr. Ahwoi explained taht under the AMSEC programme, individuals or private companies were supplied with five tractors and some implements on hire purchase to offer mechanisation services to farmers in the districts.

Explaining the methods and procedures for applying to purchase a tractor from the ministry under the arrangement, he said the ministry advertised twice in an Accra daily newspaper.

 
“The advertisement stated that all interested farmers and other stakeholders were to apply for any of the machinery through the District Agricultural Directors in their respective regions,” he said, and added that under the AMSEC, interested companies and farmers are supposed to apply to the Chief Director of the ministry in Accra.

Mr. Ahwoi said full payment was acceptable in all cases and that beneficiaries could also enjoy hire purchase arrangement.

Mr. Ahwoi said the market price of the Kubota tractors with their standard matching accessories was GHC36,000 but that had been subsidised by the government at GH¢18,000 with arrangements for hire purchase.

He explained that a beneficiary was required to make a down payment of GHC10,000 and the rest spread over a three-year period with no interest.

The minister said the arrangements were put in place for both individuals and companies to benefit from government's efforts at making available appropriate forms of inputs to all categories of farmers to increase agricultural productivity and production.