By Shina Abubakar

OSOGBO—THE management of Odu’a Investment Company Limited, pleaded with Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State to provide land for agricultural investment for the group.

The group also sought collaboration with the Governor in facilitating mining licenses and consents in its bid to diversity into various sectors of the economy.

Briefing the Governor on the group’s planned expansion in the region, the Group Chairman of OICL, Bimbo Ashiru, hinted that the organisation collectively owned by the six South West states including Osun State, remains committed to its mandate of driving economic prosperity for our shareholder states through strategic investments and partnerships.

Ashiru said: “To actualise our planned investments, we have recently incorporated a Special Purpose Company, SouthWest Resources Limited (SWRL) and we require the gracious intervention of Your Excellency in facilitating access to mining licenses, consents, and the necessary government support.

“We believe that with your backing, we can catalyze responsible mining operations that will not only generate significant revenue for the state, but also create meaningful employment opportunities for our people, while ensuring strict adherence to environmental and social standards.

“In Agriculture, we recognize Osun State’s rich agrarian potential. OICL is keen to drive commercial agricultural initiatives through strategic investments in value-chain developments, ranging from crop production to processing and export. To this end, we humbly seek your support in the allocation of portions of the State’s agricultural land bank for use by Odua’s agribusiness ventures. We would like to have agricultural landbank also in Osun State.”

Responding, Governor Adeleke described Odu’a Investment Company as a tool late Obafemi Awolowo used to create a future, saying his administration derives its philosophy of service from the vision of the late sage.

He said: “The inspiration of Awoism is a strong motivation for me. That was the reason why under two years, we implemented far reaching developmental programmes. We are as ambitious as the Awoist cabinet of the First republic. Hence, we are building flyovers, dualising roads and upgrading schools, health facilities and water schemes all over the state.

“We venture into areas our critics see as impossible terrains.”

 We launched multi billion naira infrastructure programmes even as we are paying billions.of naira in unpaid pensions and salary debt. We emphasize workers’ welfare and enroll retirees and pensioners in a free health insurance scheme.”