Akeredolu: Give priority to agriculture, industrialisation to create employment — Experts

THE governor of Ondo State, Mr Rotimi Akeredolu, has been urged to give priority to industrialisation in the state in order to provide employment opportunities for youths and improve the state’s Internally Generated Revenue to sustain the growth and development of the state.

The Chairman of the Araromi-Ayesan Oil Palm PLC, Mr Femi Okunniyi, who made this assertion during the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the company in Akure, Ondo State capital, said the presence of numerous functional industries in the state would provide employment opportunities for young unemployed graduates while the industries will also meet other needs of people in the state.

Okunniyi who identified massive industrialisation as one of the key ways to recover from the economic recession confronting the nation explained that the Araromi -Ayesan Palm Oil Company has contributed to the economic development of the state in terms of employment and developing its immediate environment.

According to him, since the Araromi-Ayesan Palm Oil company came back to life, it has ensure economic development of the state and  provide employment and also provide its Corporate social responsibilities to its immediate host community

He said “Today is a day of joy for me. I am happy that God company is having its AGM after the last edition, which held in 2008. We have been looking forward to this day.

“This company was almost dead but we have been able to resuscitate it. The annual turnover of the company has improved greatly from what it used to be.

“Through the articulation of the Board, the host communities, Araromi and Ayesan, we have been able to bring alive the company again.”

He emphasised the company’s readiness to become one of the best Oil Palm Companies in the country saying efforts are under way to achieve this goal.

He noted that one of the impacts of the company in Ondo State is that it has been able to help reduce the rate of employment.

He emphasised that much effort should be directed at industrial development to beef up the economy and ensure that people have real engagement.

He explained that the new administration should encourage the youth through empowerment programmes targeted at providing key inputs for the industrial sector, urging the government to target agriculture.

Okunniyi who commended the Ondo State government for its cooperation expressed the readiness of the company to continue to be alive to its corporate social responsibility.

A director on the Board of the Company and representative of Slabmark Nigeria Limited, Patrick Nwaokolo commended the company is making progress, saying the company has value to the economic development of the state.