Nnaemeka Obiaraeri, a respected development economist, has voiced strong criticism against the Minister of Agriculture’s recent proposal to import 10,000 tractors, echoing concerns previously raised during the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari in 2019.

Obiaraeri emphasized that the current proposal, which is projected to incur a hefty $1.1 billion expense through a public sector arrangement, signifies a repetition of the same error witnessed during Buhari’s tenure.

In an interview with Channels TV on Tuesday, Obiaraeri advocated for a more cost-effective strategy, suggesting allocating $750 million towards the importation of both tractors and bulldozers.

Reflecting on past decisions, he remarked, “Back in 2019, when the Buhari administration proposed borrowing $1.1 billion for importing 10,000 tractors…”

He continued, expressing concern about the Minister of Agriculture’s actions, stating, “The current administration is following in the footsteps of the Buhari government, pursuing a memorandum of understanding to import 10,000 tractors under a public sector arrangement, all at the expense of $1.1 billion.”

“Does it strike you as reasonable that we could achieve the same goal with a budget of $750 million, encompassing both tractors and bulldozers?” he questioned, highlighting apparent discrepancies in expenditure.

Obiaraeri outlined an alternative framework, envisioning the establishment of agro clusters across Nigeria’s 8,000 electoral wards, managed by skilled mechanical engineers.

Within these clusters, farmers would have access to machinery at an affordable average cost of N40,000, fostering economic growth and job creation.

He concluded with a poignant observation, “The repetition of past mistakes, as witnessed under the Buhari regime, raises serious questions about the priorities of our current administration.”