DG BOSS Condemns Abandonment Of Cocoa Industry, Ede

The Director-General of the Bureau of Social Services has condemned the reckless abandonment of the Cocoa Processing Industry, Ede by the two Chinese partners “Golden Monkey and Skyrun Ltd.” thereby making the Company unproductive despite its huge potentials

In a joint inspection by teams of the Bureau of Social Services and Ministry of Commerce, Industry, Cooperatives and Empowerment to the industry, the Director General of BOSS, Mr. Richard Tinubu and Commissioner for Commerce, Dr. Bode Olanipekun, expressed great disappointment at the illegal abandonment of the once bouyant industry for more than two years without recourse to the MOU signed with the State Government.

While calling on any serious investment partner with necessary wherewithal to manage the company to signify intention, the Ministry of Commerce said it has decided to terminate the agreement signed with the two Chinese partners.

Speaking with newsmen after the inspection, The Director General of BOSS said it was saddening that the industry which ought to be creating wealth and generating employment was abandoned to rot away.

In a bid to ensure that the huge investment is put to maximum use, the Commissioner for Commerce said the Ministry has decided to take over the industry and work with any reliable investor that is interested in partnering with the State. He added that the State Ministry of Justice has been working towards termination of the existing MoU with the Chinese Company.

The duo of the Commissioner and the DG of BOSS larmented that what the State Government has lost in terms of employment of the citizenry and massive returns of revenue from the company to the State Government cannot be quantified.

Also speaking, the Commissioner for Commerce said the Chinese Company has not responded to the termination notice given to them to unwind the partneship which has expired.
In view of this, the Ministry has resolved to take over the Company.

The Team also visited the Free Trade Zone and Dagbolu International Market , the two outfits to be used for the rapid industrialization of the State when fully developed.

The International Market will have Car mart, Dry port and other ancillary market services

This new initiative according to the DG of BOSS shows the consistency of the current administration of Alhaji Adegboyega Oyetola to lift Osun state to the next level of socio-economic development. He noted that the Governor is passionate, diligent, patriotic and discipline in his approach to Governance and has the political will to continue to fix the economy of the State which he is doing with all sense of transparency and accountability.

The Director General said that the Dagbolu International Market is an example of creative vision of Alhaji Oyetola.

The BOSS helmsman commended Ministry of Commerce for sourcing for a new partner to take over the Development of Dagbolu International Market who has commenced payment of compensation to land owners and has also started land clearing of the site.

Mr. Tinubu charged the Ministry of Commerce to carry out due diligence on investors that have shown interest in the industrial sectors and reiterated that Nigerian investors with integrity, technical and financial capability to take over some of the Investment opportunities in the State must be given considerations.