The State Government of Osun has said it is putting plans in place to diversify its economy, with more focus on agriculture and mining, as part of its post COVID-19 economic revival strategies.
The State Commissioner for Information and Civic Orientation, Mrs Funke Egbemode, dislcosed this after the fifth virtual State Executive Council meeting, held on Monday 18th May 2020.
Egbemode announced that the Council agreed to empower 5,764 farmers in the State to grow cassava, cotton and engage in fish farming, with support from the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN.
According to her, twelve local government areas have also earmarked about 2000 hectares of land for farming in addition to the existing farm settlements across the State.
Speaking on the State’s immediate agricultural intervention, the Commissioner said the government would on Thursday, 21 May, flag-off its planting season, adding that the government had already moved farming equipment to 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 said.
On the state of mining in Osun, Egbemode dislcosed that the Gold Buying Centre in Osu was ready, and that the state was set to maximize the economic benefits of the Centre.
Reacting to the activities of illegal miners in the State, the Information Commissioner 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.
She also quoted Governor Adegboyega Oyetola, as saying: “Mining is the new frontier of the economy of Osun. The State Government is therefore planning to maximize the sector and reap maximum benefit from it”.
Governor Oyetola had while commenting on the State’s actions against illegal miners, said that government was not interested in witch-hunting anyone, rather, it wants to regulate mining activities within the State.
He said: “if we do not sanitize the sector and take out illegal miners, we may end up like other countries who are now dealing with the negative consequences and concepts of illegal trade of natural resources ‘like blood diamond.
“We are determined to weed out illegal and inimical elements, and out to stop negative implications of their actions such as environmental degradation in the State.
In another development, the State Government has approved the appointments of two new traditional rulers in the State.
They are Prince Taofeek Abiodun Nafiu, appointed as Olu of Akinleye in Iwo Local Government Area, and Chief James Bolarinwa Oladipupo, as Alayegun of Ode-Omu in Ayedaade Local Government Area.
