The state government revealed these on Friday while speaking with newsmen in Ilorin, noting that the takeover of Shonga Farm by AMCON was to recover the bad loans owned by the farm, blaming the unfortunate development on the previous administrations.
The Kwara State government has accused the administrations of former State Governor and President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki and his successor, Abdulfatai Ahmed of using state-owned properties to fraudulently enrich a few interest groups.
The state government revealed these on Friday while speaking with newsmen in Ilorin, noting that the takeover of Shonga Farm by AMCON was to recover the bad loans owned by the farm, blaming the unfortunate development on the previous administrations.
The government explained that out of the 13 autonomous farms set up with public funds, 9 had been sold with nothing paid into the State coffers even when the government hold a paltry 10% equity in each of the farms.
"AMCON takes over of the Kwara State property in Abuja to recover the bad loans since 2007.
"AMCON holds the State responsible because it was listed among the shareholders of the farms by previous administrations,” the government disclosed.
However, a statement by the former Chief Press Secretary to the immediate former Governor, Abdulfatahi Ahmed, Wahab Oba described the claims by the present administration as uninformed and false.
"The administration of Abdulfatai Admed and that of Bukola Saraki did not guarantee bank loans for Shonga Farm, Shonga farm is a public-private partnership (PPP) funded under a debt-free-equity structure and owned by the State government, a consortium of banks and Zimbabwean farmers,” he noted.