Date Published: 08/31/09

Oni embarks on investments trip to Brazil, South Africa

In furtherance to his government’s resolve to put Ekiti State in better stead economically and realise its dream of making the State one of the fastest growing economies in Africa, the State Governor, Engr. Segun Oni, on Saturday night left Nigeria on a 10-days investments trip to Brazil and South Africa.

Special Assistant to the governor on Media, Mr. Lere Olayinka said in a statement issued in Ado Ekiti, the State capital on Sunday that Governor Oni left Nigeria for South Africa abound South African Airways on Saturday night.

He was accompanied by top functionaries of the government, including two members of the State House of Assembly, Elder Peter Ajayi of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Hon. Edward Ajewole of the Action Congress (AC).

While in South Africa, the governor will hold meetings with multilateral organisations on issues bordering on the development of the State’s health and education sectors.

The governor is expected to leave for Brazil upon completion of his assignment in South Africa. While in Brazil, Governor Oni will hold discussions with investors, especially those with bias for the Agric sector.

He will also be lending support for Global Biofuel Limited, an indigenous company that had attracted huge and bountiful investment to Ekiti State.

Global Biofuel Limited is one of the three investors in the State Ethanol project. The company was given land at Ilemeso, Oye Local Government area of the State for Sorghum cultivation and building of Biofuel Plant. The two other companies, Crownnek Nigeria Limited and Ekiti Casples Limited and were given land at Iyemero and Oke-Ayedun in Ikole Local Government area of the State.

Speaking on the necessity of the trip, the State Commissioner for Information and Civic Orientation, Hon. Taiwo Olatunbosun said the government was not paying lip service to its resolve to make the state the hub for Biofuel in Africa, adding that it was this determination that made the governor to approve the donation of 15,000 hectares of land to the Chinese investors handling the ethanol project at Oke-Ayedun, Ikole Local Government area of the State for cassava plantation.

“Ekiti State has taken a decision to be number one centre for Biofuel in Africa and we are not going to leave any stone unturned to achieve this. We are also not going to waver in our resolve to lay a solid foundation for what is going to be the most solid and virile economy in this part of the world,” Olatunbosun said.

He described the governor’s investments trip as a right step in the right direction, saying that the State and its people would reap bountifully from it.