Agribusiness will create thousands of jobs for Ibarapa youths — Makinde
By Adewale Owoade
Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has performed the ground-breaking ceremony for the upgrade of moribund 3,250 hectares Eruwa Farm Settlement to an Agribusiness Industrial Hub.
He equally expressed confidence that the new Agribusiness Hub in Eruwa will be a success story like the Fasola Agribusiness Hub, adding that his administration will complete the Ido-Eruwa Road within the next one year.
“So, I want to say to the people of Ibarapaland that you should be ready, because Ibarapaland is now on the agriculture map.
“We are quite happy and, as for me, I feel fulfilled that this journey to develop this farm estate is getting done.
“I am happy to be joined on this journey by development partners and the private sector. Some of the people seated here today have committed to bringing their money to invest in this environment.
“My people in Ibarapa, what you can do for me is to make the investors feel welcome. Support them and they will create jobs for our youths.”
Speaking earlier, the Director-General of Oyo State Agribusiness Development Agency, OYSADA, Dr Debo Akande, said that the Eruwa Agribusiness Hub is expected to be a 40million-dollar public-private development investment that will change the agricultural landscape of Eruwa, Ibarapa and Oyo State.
“This facility will include a crop and livestock production centre, 15-20 processing centres, a state-of-the-art agribusiness training centre, a mechanisation and equipment leasing centre.
“An early-generation seed production centre and the icing on the cake will be an eco-resort centre that will put Eruwa on the world map.
In his special remarks, the Director-General, Nigeria, African Development Bank (AfDB), Dr Abdul Kamara, lauded Makinde for resuscitating moribund farm settlements and assured that the AfDB would give maximum support to the speedy execution of the project.
In their separate goodwill messages, the Senior Special Adviser on Industrialisation to the President of AfDB, Prof. Banji Oyeleran-Oyeyinka; the Olu of Igbooro, Oba Olajide Titiloye; and the chairman, Eruwa Council of Elders, Chief Joseph Peluola, severally appreciated Makinde for seeing the future of agriculture sector and making the project a reality.
They urged the governor to equally enhance microfinance banks to give financial support to more farmers.
The Speaker, Oyo State House of Assembly, Adebo Ogundoyin, lauded Makinde’s drive, noting that the Eruwa Agribusiness Industrial Hub would be his legacy project.
He charged residents of the area to cooperate with the contractors for the success of the project. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)
