Exclusive: How OYSADA Cabal Frustrating Good Intention Of Governor Makinde On Fasola Farm Settlement
His Excellency Engr. Seyi Makinde the executive governor of Oyo State is a man with brilliant ideas aimed at moving the Oyo State forward, one of such is the establishment of the Oyo State Agribusiness Development Agency (OYSADA).
Governor Seyi Makinde immediately after resuming office decided to capitalize on one of the major strengths of the State which is the availability of thousands of fertile hectares of farmland in the State.
His Excellency announced that his administration was going to rehabilitate all 9 moribund Farm Settlements and other Agricultural facilities within the State. Three Farm Settlements were selected as the starting point, the Fashola, Eruwa, and Akufo Farm Settlements.
The Oyo State Agribusiness Agency (OYSADA) was given the responsibility to oversee the rehabilitation of these facilities, this was to ensure effective management, efficiency, and judicious use of the limited resources. As the Director General of OYSADA, Dr. Debo Akande was saddled with the overall responsibility of ensuring the successful completion of the project, and he reported directly to the governor.
As stated above, this was a brilliant idea if executed properly. Having a fully functional Agribusiness Hub as they are now called will increase food production in the State and also provide a major source of income for Oyo State. The decision was taken to start the rehabilitation work in Fashola Farm Settlement.
The governor assured the good people of the State that the Fashola project should be completed in record time as the funds were available. The governor gave Dr. Akande total control trusting that this ‘Special Appointee’, an ‘Internationally trained Agribusiness Expert’ who is also a top official of the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) will deliver on time and within budget.
It is important to note that the buck stops with the DG of OYSADA Dr. Debo Akande. The governor has provided all reasonable support to ensure that the Fashola project is a success, and this can be seen in the governor’s persistence to showcase agribusiness in Oyo State at every opportunity.
Brains and Hammers Ltd are the contractors handling the project, this is a construction company with years of experience in high-end construction which include various types of buildings, roads, and other infrastructure. A source in the construction sector alludes to the fact that this construction company has an enviable history of completing many high-profile projects all over Nigeria.
It is therefore unfortunate that almost two years from the start of the Fashola project there is no end in sight, and the governor is being misinformed as to the cause of the delay by those he put in charge.
There are several reasons for this delay which if not decisively dealt with may turn Fashola into a failed project.
Firstly, there is a ‘Cabal’ that has been formed on the government side that is causing the delay of the project. A reliable source who confided in Westerndailynews.com claims that this ‘Cabal’ comprised of three people namely Dr. Debo Akande, Mr. Peter (Agro4you), and Hollar Gabriel Ltd (the project consultant).
The same source alleged that this ‘Cabal’ is constantly bullying and demanding money from the contractor. And that project funds are wilfully delayed once the ‘Cabal’ do not get their way. The contractor has found a way to accommodate the ‘clique’ in other to protect their brand.
Another source alleged that a sum of over Four Million Naira (NGN4,000,000.00) has been paid to Mr. Peter monthly from the beginning of the project in early 2021 into two separate accounts and that Dr. Debo Akande is also a beneficiary of this payment. If this is true, that means approximately Seventy-Five Million Naira (NGN75,000,000.00) or more has been paid to them so far.
The same source also alleged that Hollar Gabriel Ltd has received well over Eighty Million Naira (NGN80,000,000.00) since the lunch of the project. It is claimed that the ‘Cabal’ have gotten so greedy that they have attempted to take over the whole project in other to increase their illicit financial gains. (The figure shown here are conservative estimates)
The unofficial payments and the delay in payments are having a detrimental effect on the quality of the work being done. this was evident when our correspondent visited Fashola and found that the perimeter chain link fence along the front of the Agribusiness hub is already down in some parts leaving the estate open.
On closer inspection, it was observed that the chain link fence is of very low quality. One of the locals that were interviewed alleged that some of the roofs of the buildings were blown away after the first rain last year (he has promised to provide the pictures).
There is also the issue of VAT which remains outstanding. Many of the subcontractors working on the project have requested documentation regarding the VAT payment.
Unconfirmed sources claim that the people representing the government have been unable to provide evidence that this was taken out at source. However, rumors have it that the ‘clique’ that is Dr. Debo and Mr. Peter and Hollar Gabriel are the ones who can explain what happened to the VAT money.
The people of Oyo State are calling on his Excellency Engr. Seyi Makinde to act decisively and swiftly on this major issue. Fashola Agribusiness Hub must rise from the ashes, this will be one of the legacies of the governor and he must not allow frenemies to derail his great plan for Oyo State.
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