The Ondo State House of Assembly has called on the state government to review its policies and invest more on Araromi/Ayesan Oil Palm Plc, in Araromi Obu.
It said this was necessary in order to generate funds to the government coffer and create job opportunities for its citizenry.
Mr Olalekan Elegbeleye, the Chairman of the House Committee on Commerce and Industry, stated this during the committee’s oversight visit to the company on Friday in Araromi Obu in Odigbo Local Government area of the state.
Elegbeleye said that the palm oil company was a huge and useful asset, making revenue to the government.
He explained that there was need for government to pay more attention to it since the current administration was ready to invest in agriculture.
According to him, the palm seedlings needed by the company should be improved.
The Chairman said that security apparatus of the company would be strengthened.
Elegbeleye lauded the efforts of late sage, Obafemi Awolowo, for establishing the company and others for the future of youths of Southwest region, saying that such investment had reduced unemployment rate in the state.
He said that the committee was encouraged by the company’s management efforts that kept it functioning.
Similarly, Mr Ademoye Aderoboye, a member of the committee, said that the company has been contributing meaningfully to the state government.
Aderoboye noted that there was need to improve on the subvention given to the company in order to cater for welfare of workers so that there would be increased productivity.
He promised that appropriate security would be provided so that the state could continue to benefit from the company.
Earlier, Mr Sola Ikumawoyi, the General Manager, said that the company was virile and could alleviate poverty and impact development of the state.
Ikumawoyi noted that the company had gone through transformation since its establishment, saying that the company’s current management had got improved seedlings from Thailand.
He added that the company had 500 direct staff as it was yearning to expand its workforce to 800 direct workers.
According to him, the company has 950 effective hectares of palm trees and has commenced gradual replacement of old palm trees.
Ikumawoyi said that the company needed more funds to operate, stressing that the company relied on diesel which cost five million naira per month since there was no power supply to the company.
“We have several challenges such as insecurity, inadequate funds and continued power outage.
“Some people do cart away our seeds and the stealing is still on-going though police are helping us,” he said.(NAN)
