……..Omituntun 2.0 administration will make adequate credit accessible to farmers and agro-entrepreneurs
Since assuming office, Governor Seyi Makinde has worked with his manifesto, The Oyo State Roadmap for Accelerated Development , 2019-2023. He has followed this plan as he prioritises the four pillars of governance upon which the map is built – Economy (through agribusiness), Education, Healthcare and Security.
In short, his administration was just eight months when covid came in as a global sock absorber to world economy and mass exodus of death rolls from yound to old. Apparently, Gov. makinde in real sense only did what we are seeing in just two and half years and hopefully to run Omituntun 2.0 hundred percent without excuses.
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Governor Seyi Makinde’s administration during Omituntun 1.0, prioritised growing the economy of Oyo State to move the people from poverty to prosperity. With agribusiness as the major driver of the economy, Oyo State has attracted private investments of over N27 billion in agribusiness alone in the last four years.
However, towards the tale end of accelerated development administration, Gov. Makinde received a team from Shell Nigeria Gas Limited led by the Executive Director, Ed Ubong. The team were in Ibadan to present the finished Oyo State Gas Distribution Infrastructure Masterplan. In case you don’t know, let me inform you that the Shell Nigeria Gas Ltd is constructing a Pressure Reduction and Metering Station (PRMS) on a Build-Own-Operate-Transfer (BOOT) basis and it will deliver gas to industrial, manufacturing and commercial entities in Oyo State.
Moreso, Mr D. Subashkumar, a representative of one of the companies which attended the Oyo State International Business Summit, on May 18th, 2023 Karma Agric Feeds and Foods Ltd. Where Mr Governor met with their Chairman in London on the sidelines of the summit, and agreed to expand their operations in Oyo State by investing an additional $30 million. The only support they requested from Gov Makinde’s administration was a guarantee that they would get gas supply by Q2 2024 which was promised and committed to do under Sustainable Development Vision and Growth of Omituntun 2.0
As we all know that the good people of Oyo state are expecting so much from His Excellency hence why he was given the second term bid over his contenders in the General elections, this calls for more hard work and he did promised that, Omituntun 2.0 is an upgrade of Omituntun 1.0
One of the major areas under his concentration is the AgriBusiness for the expansion of economy through which investors can easily be attracted to develop, creates job opportunities and other niche. Let me usher you into those likely expectations anticipating under this new administration of Sustainable Development Vision and Growth Model.
These are likely things His Excellency, The Man Called MAKINSSON may likely make happen under the Omituntun 2.0 ;
The construction of the Fasola Agribusiness Industrial Hub is in advanced stages and businesses like Chief Quails Limited and SWAgCo Limited have already started producing crops there while FreislandCampina WAMCO Nigeria has signed an MOU for livestock production.
The Fruit processing plants short term if linked with existing processors but medium to long term if new off-takers will be brought in. Meat processing industries, Modern central fish market and Small scale irrigation schemes for farms on existing dams in the four agricultural zones. Possible collaboration with the Federal Government on the use of the silos in the state will be looked into as well.
Ensuring that the farmers actually have access to subsidized inputs (fertilizers, improved seeds, tractor hiring etc). This means that the list of registered farmers in the state must be validated and updated to weed out fake farmers’ names and register authentic ones, with the GPS of their farms adequately recorded to prevent multiple uses of particular farmland by many fictitious farmers. In addition, the State Government can complement the efforts of the Federal Government in the supply of subsidized inputs. Linking some farmers with the Staple Crop Processing Zones closest to them in order to take advantage of the existing markets for the farmers’ products in those zones.
The preparations has been finalised for the launch of the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zone (SAPZ) which is backed by the African Development Bank (AfDB). SAPZ will commence in a 300-hectare facility in Atan Community in Akinyele Local Government Area, Ibadan.
Provision of adequate agricultural extension services by making the living conditions in the agricultural production sites conducive through the provision of rural infrastructure amenities such as electricity, health facilities, potable water, and good roads, among others.
The plan to upgrade the nine (9) farm settlements in Oyo State to agribusiness industrial hubs is on course. The contracts for three (3) of the farms settlements have been awarded and work is in advanced stages at the Fasola Agribusiness Industrial Hub, Eruwa Agribusiness Industrial Hub while Akufo will commence when Fasola has been completed which will have modern facilities and create employment opportunities for young people.
Adequate and sustainable irrigation infrastructure strategy. Already, Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been signed between the Oyo State Government and Ogun-Osun River Basin Development Authority for irrigation of farms in Oyo State.
The government will make adequate credit accessible to farmers and agro-entrepreneurs. They will be assisted with a take-off loan which must be repaid at a specified but convenient rate and time period for the youths. The credit for the generality of the farmers will be designed in a manner that repayment is not cumbersome. Loan facilities are available to farmers under the Agricultural Credit Corporation of Oyo State (ACCOS) at a single digit rate.
As I round off, on Saturday 10th, May 2023, Gov. Makinde and his team visited the Fasola Agribusiness Industrial Hub to meet with investors already operating at the hub which is 100% fully subscribed. The value of investments so far is about $2.6 million and this will increase by the time the hub is completed and processing facilities are fully operational.
He also visited a large-scale agribusiness investment in Iseyin, the Oyo Sugarcane Processors Ltd and met with the Chairman, Chief Adepoju Olusola.
In his statement reads: “The business will be processing 30 tonnes of brown sugar daily and employing over 500 people as permanent staff by the time the processing facility is completed. The company will also serve as an offtaker for smallholder farmers, he concluded”.
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Conclusively, My Principal Effulgent Leader, Exceptional Inspirational Educationist Revolutionary, Missionary Master, His Excellency, The Executive Governor of Oyo State Engr. Dsc. GSSRS KJW Abiodun Oluwaseyi MAKINDE FNSE is making sense, will be greatly able to achieve the set goal 7.5bn IGR growth targeted at repositioning, remodelling, rebranding the entire state for future Global recognition as well become the headquarter of sustainable economic development Hub in Nigeria.
HAPPY DEMOCRACY DAY!
Your’s Servant Leader,
Egalitarian Dig Com Moyosoreoluwa Olamilekan Eldreez codenamed IJOBA AUTHORITY MOE writes from Ibadan North East LGA, Home of Generals
12th June, 2023
