Dayo Johnson
13 May 2005
Akure — COCOA Farmers Association of Nigeria (CFAN) said yesterday that the allegation of fraud in the award of N14 billion fertilizser contract made by the chairman, Senate committee on agriculture, Dr Bode Olowoporoku, against the Agriculture and Rural Development Minister, Mallam Adamu Bello, was a cheap blackmail.
It condemned the Olowoporoku for allegedly trying to drag the name of the minister in the mud by the allegation.
Rising from a meeting in Akure, the national vice president of the association, Mr. Joseph Ayodele, said Dr Olowoporoku's alleged failure to secure the fertiliser contract was the reason for "the continued persecution of the minister concerning the issue of the fertiliser."
The minister had at a meeting with the Senate President, Chief Ken Nnamani, alleged that Dr. Olowoporoku demanded for compensation for losing out in the fertiliser contract that would have earned him N200 million profit.
Mr Ayodele, however, added: "We as member of CFAN felt worried and concerned that this drowning senator should not drag the minister's name in the mud.
"It is on record that Senator Bode Olowoporoku bidded for the supply of fertiliser under the name BALFAR International limited."
The same company, they alleged, was used by the senator to benefit from the contract for insecticide and fungicide under the scheme valued at N43 million.
"Therefore, we are highly embarrassed with the senators pronouncement against the minister because of his inability to win the fertiliser contract under the 2004 fertiliser procurement scheme," the cocoa farmer said.
The association said the companies that Senator Olowporoku recommended to the ministry for the importation of the fertiliser and requests for the funding of a N6 million retreat for the committee were fronting for the chairman of senate committee on agriculture.
CFAN absolved the minister of any fraudulent act in the award of the fertiliser contract.
The association advised the chairman, Senate committe on agriculture to stop blackmailing the minister and allow him to carry out all his laudable programmes and policies meant to assist farmers in the country.
They pointed out that the activities of Dr Olowoporoku were "capable of disrupting the Federal Government efforts at developing the agriculture sector of the economy."
According to CFAN, the minister should engage himself on activities that would "restore the lost glory of cocoa" instead of engaging in activities detrimental to it.
"We implore him to help restore the lost glory of the agricultural sector, especially cocoa, and improve the lots of cocoa farmers instead of engaging in acts detrimental to the sector," they said.
Meanwhile, the Federal Government had last week absolved the minister of blame in the allegation that he abused his office in the award of the fertiliser contract. After the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting, government said that no minister could unilaterally approve the award of a contract of that huge amount.
The award of the contract, according to the government, followed due process. However, the chairman, Senate committee on agriculture, Dr Olowoporoku, had sought the intervention of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on the allegation.
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