Osun State government has said that it is putting plans in place to diversify its economy into agriculture and mining as part of its post COVID-19 economic revival strategies.
The plans were disclosed in a press statement issued by the state’s Commissioner for Information and Civic Orientation, Mrs. Funke Egbemode, after the fifth virtual State Executive Council meeting, held on Monday.
Egbemode announced that the State Executive Council agreed to empower 5,764 farmers to grow cassava, cotton and engage in fish farming, with the help of the Central Bank of Nigeria.
According to her, 12 local government areas had also earmarked about 2000 hectares of agricultural land in addition to the existing farm settlements across the state.
Speaking on the state’s immediate agricultural intervention plans, Egbemode said: “On Thursday May 21, the state will be flagging off its planting season. It has already moved farming equipment into its Ila Farm Settlement.”
“At the launching, the State Government will be distributing improved seedlings, pesticides and herbicides, knapsack sprayers, among other things, to improve yields of farmers in the state. The State Government will also train 1000 farmers in specialized farming,” she added.
Speaking on the state of mining in the state, Egbemode announced that the Gold Buying Centre in Osu was ready, and the state was set to maximize the economic benefit of the centre.
She quoted the governor of the state, Mr Adegboyega Oyetola, as saying: “Mining is the new frontier of the economy of Osun. The State Government is therefore planning to sanitize the sector and reap maximum benefits from it.”
Oyetola, commenting on the state’s actions against illegal miners, said that the state government was not interested in witch-hunting anyone, rather, it wanted to regulate mining activities within the state.
He said that: “If we do not sanitize the sector and take out illegal miners, we may end up with the kind of challenges that have continued to haunt the Niger Delta region of the country since oil was discovered there.
“We are determined to weed out illegal and criminal elements and avoid the negative implications such as environmental degradation in the state.”
Reacting to the activities of illegal miners in the state, Egbemode said that the state government would continue to comb its mining sites to rid them of illegal miners.
“Today, the Joint Task Force of the State arrested another eight Chinese, who in spite of the previous arrests, thought they could outmanoeuvre the state’s regulations. They are currently being interrogated and necessary actions will be taken within legal limits,” she disclosed.
In another development, the state government has approved the appointment of two new traditional rulers in the state.
They are Prince Taofeek Abiodun Nafiu who has been approved for appointment as Olu of Akinleye in Iwo Local Government Area, while Chief James Bolarinwa Oladipupo was approved for appointment as Alayegun of Ode Omu in Ayedaade Local Government Area.
