The Oyo State House of Assembly has called on the state government to conduct a comprehensive audit of the Integrated Agricultural Silo Complex Project at Awe Junction in Oyo East Local Government Area.
The House of Assembly has also summoned the contractor handling the project; Rahvet International Limited to provide a detailed report on the project’s progress, the challenges faced, and the necessary steps to ensure its completion.
The lawmakers emphasized the need to assess the project’s current status, the total funds expended, and to take appropriate action regarding its prolonged abandonment.
The call for the record probing was made yesterday during a plenary sitting of the House through a motion moved by Hon. Olorunpoto Rahman and co-sponsored by Hon. Oladeji Oparinde, representing Oyo East and Afijio State Constituencies, respectively.
The legislators highlighted the crucial role of silos in food storage, explaining that they help preserve grains and fermented feed (silage), protecting them from weather elements and pests.
This, they noted, ensures a consistent food supply for both humans and animals, effectively bridging the gap between harvest and sale periods.
Presenting the motion at the plenary session on Tuesday, the motion sponsor stressed the importance of the silo project in addressing food scarcity in Oyo State and across Nigeria.
He pointed out that the facility was designed to bolster food security by reducing post-harvest losses, stabilizing food prices, and supporting farmers by storing surplus produce for future use.
According to the lawmakers, the 10,000-metric-tonne capacity project was envisioned to be the largest of its kind in Nigeria. However, despite an expenditure of over ₦1.5 billion and more than 11 years of work, the project remains incomplete and abandoned.
Hon. Olorunpoto revealed that Rahvet International Limited, the contractor responsible for the project, had received payments exceeding ₦1.5 billion. Despite this significant financial investment, the facility has yet to be completed, depriving both the state and the nation of a crucial food management infrastructure.
“The prolonged abandonment of this project not only represents a waste of public funds but also denies the people of Oyo State an essential tool for managing food supply,” he lamented.
The Standing Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development has also been directed to engage all stakeholders and report back to the House with recommendations on the way forward.
The lawmakers stressed that, given the rising food prices in Nigeria, completing the silo project would significantly enhance food supply and security in the state and across the country.