Management of YSJ Limited has dismissed allegations that it collected ₦100,000 from participants without fulfilling its obligations, describing the claims as misleading and a misrepresentation of the agricultural programme’s operations.
Speaking with journalists on Wednesday at the company’s office in Ado-Ekiti, in the presence of some beneficiaries, the General Manager of YSJ Ltd, Mr. Rotimi Omole, explained that the scheme operates on a performance-based, profit-sharing model, where payments are determined by farm attendance, productivity and output at each site.
Omole stated that attendance was taken from the first day of the programme by participants’ own leaders, not YSJ officials. He said participants who attended farm activities 8–10 times earned full payment, those with 6–7 attendances received reduced amounts, while those who attended less than 50 per cent were paid proportionately.
“You cannot expect someone who worked consistently on the farm to earn the same as someone who barely showed up,” Omole said, adding that most complaints were coming from participants who failed to participate actively.
He disclosed that YSJ worked with about 600 participants across various sites, producing around 30 tons of farm produce in some locations. Proceeds were shared transparently, with YSJ management reportedly adding extra funds to ensure that no participant was left unpaid despite modest yields in some areas.
On the ₦100,000 controversy, YSJ Coordinator Mr. Ajibade Adeleke clarified that the payment was neither compulsory nor collected from new participants. He explained that it was a voluntary investment made in the 2024 season by pioneer participants, who chose to become shareholders in the programme.
“The money came from proceeds already earned by the pioneers, not from personal savings,” Adeleke said, stressing that new participants paid nothing.
He added that the funds were reinvested into farm operations and noted that some participants wrongly perceived the initiative as a government handout rather than a business venture.
“YSJ is a business enterprise with a guaranteed buy-back system for produce, even when market conditions are unfavourable,” he said.
Beneficiaries from Ado, Boron and Njede testified that committed participants earned between ₦600,000 and ₦1 million, depending on attendance, farm size and output, while poor yields and high operational costs affected earnings in some sites.
Speaking on behalf of beneficiaries, Oladimeji Johnson, Temitope Fakolade and Cecilia Akomolafe supported YSJ’s position and urged management not to be discouraged by what they described as unfounded allegations from inactive participants.
YSJ management reaffirmed its commitment to transparency, youth empowerment and sustainable agribusiness, noting that the programme—implemented in partnership with the Ekiti State Government—is aimed at re-engaging youths in profitable agriculture.