Ekiti State Governor, Mr Biodun Oyebanji has assured the people of Ekiti State that the 40,000 hectares of farmlands for the Ekiti Special Agro-Processing Zone (SAPZ) in Ikole and Oye Local Government Areas will be properly utilized to bring unprecedented development and prosperity to the host local government areas, Ekiti State, and Nigeria at large.
This assurance was given during a community engagement facilitated by the Ekiti State Development and Investment Promotion Agency (EKDIPA) in Ikole Ekiti. Governor Oyebanji who was represented by the Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, Hon. Ebenezer Boluwade, thanked the concerned monarchs and citizens for sacrificing their lands for the development of SAPZ. He also pledged that their communities will be given the appropriate compensation for the land acquired for the project.
Upon commencement of full operations, SAPZ will transform the areas into agribusiness hubs that will integrate production, processing and marketing of various agricultural commodities. This will directly enhance food and nutritional security, optimise the export of value-added agricultural commodities and improve the quality of livelihoods through wealth creation for rural farming communities in Ekiti State.
The resource person, Mr. Gbolabo Osunsanmi also spoke extensively on the potential of the Ekiti SAPZ. He guaranteed that the SAPZ will be managed in a way that ensures its sustainability, and this will consequently boost food production and processing, job opportunities and internally generated revenue in Ekiti state and Nigeria as a whole.
The State Commissioner for Infrastructure and Public Utility, Prof. Mobolaji Aluko also reaffirmed the BAO administration’s dedication to achieving food security and making Ekiti State investment-friendly.
The monarchs present expressed their gratitude to the State Government for the SAPZ initiative. While reminding the state government of the need to pay adequate compensation to the landholders whose lands were acquired for the project, they also urged the governor to revive and complete all the abandoned agriculture settlements that have been abandoned for years.
Other government officials present at this community engagement include the Director-General of Ekiti Development and Investment Promotion Agency, Mrs Lolade Olutola; the Commissioner for Finance who was represented by, Mr Taiwo Ajobiewe; the Commissioner for Trade and Investment, represented by Mr Kehinde Olatoye; Ikole Local Government Chairperson, Hon. Bayo Omojola; and Oye Local Government Chairperson, Princess Clara Adesola; and other senior officials.