By Chris Chimezie
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No fewer than five new companies from China are ready to begin operations in the Ore Industrial hub of Ondo state.
This signifies the commitment and readiness of Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, SAN, to industrialise the state by wooing investors to change the state’s economic fortunes.
Arakunrin Akeredolu had earlier visited the 10,000 hectares ODSG /Wewood Afforestation Project where Gmelina arborea have been planted on 1,500 of the 10,000 hectares.
The Governor who visited the Industrial hub and was conducted round the various factories expressed satisfaction on the level of achievement recorded.
The Governor expressed satisfaction with the level of work carried out by the Chinese companies and reiterated his administration’s determination to change the face of the state to a more economic viable one.
Akeredolu further hinted that the Ondo Linyi Industrial hub at Ore will return all lost glory of the state in no distant time.
Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu had about four months ago visited the Linyi City in China during his investment tour, where he was able to woo investors to come up with industries that will bring about development in the state.
During the visit, seven companies signed Memorandum of Understandings (MoUs) with the state government, following the incentives attached to it by the government to attract them to the state.
Presently, four out of the seven companies have established a plant which include Paper Mill, MDF plant as well as Cassava to Ethanol plant, and Win-win Textile mill which will soon begin operations within the hub.
The investors under Shandong group have moved sophisticated equipment into the industrial hub in Ore, Ondo state.
Speaking during the tour, the Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to the Governor on Afforestation Project, Mr Alex Ajipe said the Ethanol plant has the capacity to generate 3,500 jobs.
He added that the Paper Mill will employ well over 5,000 people and hinted that the mdf production line of about 33,000 tonnes per day is the first of its kind in Nigeria .
Ajipe noted that the Gmelina planting on the ten thousand hectares of land given to Wewood last year by the government for re- afforestation is done simultaneously with the cassava planting which will be converted to ethanol.
Also the Project Manager of Wewood Limited, Mr Jack Li told the Governor that between now and December the ethanol plant which is nearing completion and has the capacity to produce 400,000 tonnes production in the first line, and the second line which will produce 600,000 tonnes when completed would be tested.
While stressing that a special specie of cassava are being planted in – between the Gmelina that will be used to feed the ethanol plant, Li noted that 1,000 people have been employed at the site.
Linyi’s economy is based around its wholesale markets. The Linyi Wholesale City is ranked 3rd in its category in China with an annual trade volume of 40 billion RMB (~US$5 billion).
The Linyi prefecture has developed more than 1,500 specialized villages, over 80 specialized towns and nearly 800 industrialized agricultural enterprises.
