Having been branded the poorest state of the federation in terms of Federal Allocations and Internally-Generated Revenue (IGR), Osun State government has made frantic effort to resuscitate moribund Osun Cocoa Product Industry in Ede, established in 1982 to create wealth and job opportunities for teeming jobless indigenes of the state.
The government’s desire to create wealth and job opportunities through cocoa farming, production and processing, according to information obtained from the Government House in Osogbo, Osun State Capital at the weekend, prompted perfections of business agreements with three partners, including Chinese firms, namely, Skyron Group, Golden Monkey Corporation and the new entrant – Runners Nigeria Limited.
A government source, who spoke with BDSUNDAY, disclosed that Governor Rauf Aregbesola-led Osun State administration, in conjunction with the firms involved, had named Adewale Adeeyo, an indigene of the state as chairman, Board of Directors of the resuscitated Cocoa Product Industry, adjudged as the biggest in West Africa.
He said that the government and its partners had begun procurement of new equipment and would soon begin recruitment of take-off staff members to hit the ground running this year, adding that the governor was very passionate and was personally involved in the realisation of the project as another economic alternative against the current financial crisis currently rocking the nation and the state in particular.
The source further said that Adeeyo-led Board of Directors of the resuscitated Osun Cocoa Product Industry in Ede had been given mandate to meet with officials in Osun State Ministry of Commerce, Industry, Co-operatives and Youths Empowerment to identify the core problems of the company with a view to re-positioning the Cocoa Industry in order to serve the purpose for which it was resuscitated.
RAZAQ AYINLA
