Management of YSJ Farms Limited, a private agricultural company, has denied allegations that it defrauded some youths in Ekiti State under the Bring Back the Youths to Agriculture initiative.
The General Manager of the firm, Rotimi Omole, described the allegations as misleading, false, and a distortion of the programme’s structure and operations.
Addressing journalists on Thursday in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital, Omole said that the programme was established to tackle youth unemployment and promote sustainable participation in agribusiness, not to exploit participants.
He clarified that the N100,000 paid last year by participants who pioneered the scheme during its take-off phase in 2024 was a commitment fee approved by the management of YSJ Farms. According to him, the fee was introduced to ensure seriousness and long-term commitment from the pioneer participants who voluntarily enrolled at the formative stage of the Bring Back the Youths in Agriculture initiative.
Omole added that new participants were never required to pay any commitment fee, maintaining that participation in the programme is now free of charge for new intakes. He noted that the commitment fee was limited to the pioneer participants alone and should not be misconstrued as a recurring charge or a means of exploitation.
Addressing claims of non-remuneration, the General Manager explained that all payments to participants are strictly performance-based. He said remuneration is determined by measurable outputs recorded at farm sites, regularity of attendance, and level of engagement.
Omole added that the scheme operates a results-driven model under which beneficiaries are compensated in direct proportion to their productivity and engagement. He clarified that disparities in payments among participants reflect differences in individual performance and participation levels, not favoritism or denial of entitlements.
He disclosed that some beneficiaries earned as high as N1.5 million, while others received lower payments that matched their measurable contributions to the programme.
Omole noted that the payment structure encourages accountability, hard work, and sustainability, adding that the initiative rewards effort and results rather than mere participation.
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