By Ademola Adeleke
Ikole Local Government area has begun the sales of oil Palm seedlings to interested buyers in the council area at a subsidized rate.
The Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Mr Adeoye Aribasoye, who flagged off the ceremony at the Council Secretariat in Ikole, lauded the Chairman, Mr Bolu Omojola, for his foresight and for encouraging Agricultural practice in the area.
Mr Aribasoye, represented by a member of the Assembly, Mr Babatunde Fawekun, highlighted the benefits of engaging in oil palm plantation, adding that the management of the local government had done well by subsidizing the price in the interest of the people.
He urged other local government Chairmen to emulate Mr Omojola so that the Agricultural sector could record.
“We are happy at the foresight of the Chairman, he’s thinking out of the box and developing Agriculture in his area and Ekiti as a whole, we congratulate you on this Mr Chairman, and encouraged others to emulate him.”… Aribasoye added
Earlier, the Council Chairman said that the ten thousand oil Palm seedlings, raised by the local government, was to complement the stride of the state governor, Mr Biodun Oyebanji, in the sector.
He intimated the gathering about the plans by the council to acquire more land for farming and to resuscitate the moribund Local government piggery.
“We are trying our best to give the best to the people that elected us, in due course, we shall resuscitate the fishery sector of the council in collaboration with the Federal University Oye Ekiti, we are also looking at reactivating the garri processing of the council, we are hoping to engage our unemployed women in the process of garri.”
“I want to also use this medium to thank the state governor, Mr Biodun Oyebanji for his support to the council, his timely release of fund to cater for our people is immeasurable, we shall continue to support you sir”.
The Commissioner for Agriculture, Mr Ebenezer Boluwade, represented by Pastor Kehinde Ajayi and the Special Adviser to the state governor on Political, Chief Jide Awe, commended the chairman for investing in Agriculture.
The Agric Commissioner urged Ekiti people to take advantage of the various government interventions in the sector.
“I want to tell our people, in the ministry of Agriculture, we have a lot of incentives going on right now to encourage our farmers, to ensure Ekiti is self sustaining in terms of food production, our people should approach the ministry to enjoy this packages we have in stock”
The seedlings are sold at 400 per one, instead of 1500.
