Ekiti State Governor, Mr Biodun Oyebanji has assured the people of Ikole and Oye Local Government Areas of the State that the 40,000 hectares of farm land in the two council Areas for the Ekiti Special Agro Industrial Processing Zone (SAPZ) would be properly utilized to bring unprecedented development and prosperity to the area, the state and Nigeria as whole

Governor Oyebanji who gave the assurance during a community engagement in Ikole Ekiti facilitated by Ekiti Development and Investment Promotion Agency (EKDIPA) affirmed that the project will transform the area into an agrobusiness hub that will integrate production, processing and marketing of various agriculture commodities.

The Governor said when fully operational, the Ekiti Special Agro Industrial Processing Zone will enhance food and nutritional security in the State, optimize the export of value-added agricultural commodities and improve the quality of livelihoods through wealth creation for rural farming communities.

Oyebanji who was represented by the Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, Hon. Ebenezer Boluwade thanked the Monarchs in the area for sacrificing their Lands for the development, assuring them of necessary compensation after the needed mechanism has been put in place.

The resource person, Mr. Gbolabo Osunsanmi who talked extensively on the derivable benefits of the Agro-Industrial Processing Zone which include increased food production and processing, job opportunity, Internally Generated Revenue said the workplace of the development would ensure its sustainability.

Some of the Obas in their remarks thanked the State Government for the initiative, urging it to revisit all the abandoned agriculture settlement that have been abandoned for years and pay compensation to owners of lands that were allocated for the laudable project.

The State Commissioner for Infrastructure and Public Utility, Prof. Mobolaji Aluko noted that the present administration has made Ekiti State investment friendly, noting that the place of farming in solving the present food security cannot be over-emphasized.

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Present at the state engagement were the Director-General of Ekiti Development and Promotion Agency Mrs. Lolade Olutola, representative of Finance Commissioner, Mr. Taiwo Ajobiewe, Commissioner for Trade and Investment, represented by Mr. Kehinde Olatoye, Ikole Local Government Chairman, Hon. Bayo Omojola and his counterpart from Oye Local Government, Princess Clara Adesola and other senior officials