The Governor of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola has insisted that the state is more of an agrarian state than the civil servants’ state as a few people have said.
The Governor, at the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with an American based equipment leasing and beef rearing company in the state capital said that it is no longer viable for the state to depend on monthly Federal allocation of about N5 billion to survive, adding that what has been sustaining the state is agriculture.
“Although I am no longer excited by signing MOU because it is mostly ceremonial, but with the commitment and drive with which you have shown, I look forward to a better days ahead.
“I am very hopeful of a fantastic result from this collaboration. I have confidence in what the supervisory legal department and our own have done. I hope that activities will commence by January, we will put the resources of the state behind this. I look forward to a celebration of a successful venture.”
The Governor said that the time has come for everybody in the state to turn to agriculture, saying that it is the only means to ensure abundant food and other relevant inputs in the land.
Earlier, the Director of the JIL equipment leasing and beef rearing Company, Dr. Jenny Caringham had said that his company will bring change into livestock farming in Osun.
He added that the team will also be going into total agriculture with the latest available technologies that will in no distant time improve employment opportunity for youths in the state.
Caringham commended Governor Aregbesola for taking to agriculture for the development of the state, stressing that his team will give everything it takes to improve abattoirs and beef production in Osun.
He assured of visibility of the project within 30 days of its commencement of operation in Osun and that by the end of the first quarter of 2016, there will be a resort centre that will enhance tourism.
“I want to use this occasion to thank the state for this opportunity. We will not let you down. By January, we will be here to start fully. We are not importing anything because we have everything in Nigeria.”
In the MOU, Osun is willing to partner with JIL farms and Equipment Limited to develop a 1,500 hectare Ranch under the O-BEEF and O-REAP programme for the breeding and development of 2,500 foundation breeding cattle herd which will include the Tuli and Boran species.
JIL Farms possesses the ability to finance, operate and maintain the agricultural land into ranches and farmland in such a manner as to maintain the infrastructure and develop additional farmlands for production of livestock and crops.
The partnership will develop a 10,000-head capacity feedlot centre; construct a feed mill for processed grains, a meat processing plant, and a packing plant for vegetables; develop a youth training centre, a livestock and farming out-grower scheme, and a retreat centre for seminars and trainings.[myad]
