The Governor of Borno State, Prof. Babagana Zulum, has praised the agribusiness initiatives of his Oyo State counterpart, Governor Seyi Makinde, and expressed his intention to emulate them in his state.
Zulum made this remark on Tuesday, when he visited the OYSADEP Equipment Fabrication and Training Centre, Apata, Ibadan, along with the Deputy Governor of Oyo State, Barr. Bayo Lawal. The centre, which was once abandoned, is being revived through a public-private partnership with Niji Group, a leading agro-allied company.
The centre is expected to produce various agricultural equipment and train farmers on modern farming techniques. It is part of the Fasola Agribusiness Industrial Hub, a flagship project of the Makinde administration, aimed at boosting food security, job creation and revenue generation in Oyo State.
Zulum commended Makinde for using agribusiness to drive Oyo State’s economy, saying he was impressed by the vision and execution of the project. He urged other state governors to learn from this example and invest in agriculture as a viable and sustainable sector.
He also disclosed that he would replicate the Fasola Agribusiness Industrial Hub in Borno State, as part of his efforts to rebuild the state after years of insurgency and violence. He said he would collaborate with Niji Group and other stakeholders to make this a reality.
The Executive Assistant to Oyo State Governor on Agribusiness and International Cooperation, Debo Akande, who accompanied the visitors, shared the statement on his Twitter handle.
He said he was delighted to join the governors on the visit and witness their enthusiasm for agribusiness development.
He wrote, “Today, I joined H.E., Prof. Babagana Zulum, Governor of Borno State and our Deputy Governor, H.E. Barr. Bayo Lawal, on a visit to the once-moribund OYSADEP Equipment Fabrication and Training Centre, Apata, Ibadan. The facility is being revived through a PPP with Niji Group.
“Governor Zulum commended Governor Seyi Makinde for using agribusiness to drive Oyo State’s economy. He urged other state governors to learn from this example, saying he would replicate the Fasola Agribusiness Industrial Hub in Borno State.”
