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Concerns are mounting in Benue State following reports that the government is set to make an upfront payment of N4.5 billion to an STA Fertilizer Company to supply 300 trucks of NPK fertilizer for the 2025 cropping season. According to the contract details, each truck is to contain 600 bags of fertilizer priced at N45,000 per bag, bringing the total to four billion, fifty million Naira. It is alleged that the company (STA Fertilizer) will receive payment within this week, even before any delivery is made.
“Asom D Jerry,” the writer behind the post on Facebook, highlights a troubling disparity. “While investment in agriculture is crucial, stakeholders are questioning why Governor Hyacinth Alia is prioritizing advance payment for 2025 suppliers while contractors who provided farm inputs during the 2024 cropping season remain unpaid.”
Observers argue that settling outstanding obligations should come first, to sustain confidence among local contractors and ensure transparency in government dealings. The situation has left many contractors in distress, with one affected contractor stating, “This is not just about money… It’s about dignity. We borrowed, we supplied, we delivered, and yet we are treated as if we don’t matter. Families are breaking, people are sinking into depression. Some have even given up on life.”
The post further reveals that stakeholders are now calling for federal intervention, urging President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to step in. “They insist that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu must wade into the matter, not only to save the lives and businesses of the affected contractors but also to restore public trust in governance,” Jerry writes. Anti-graft agencies like the EFCC and ICPC are equally being urged to scrutinize the alleged irregularities and the government’s handling of the payments.
As the controversy unfolds, the people of Benue State await clarity and action from their leaders. The unresolved payments from 2024 continue to cast a shadow over the state’s agricultural plans for 2025.
