By Fatima Muraina

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The Senior Special Assistant to Ondo State Governor on Agric and Agric business, Pastor Akin Olootu has called on members of Ondo state Agricultural Commodities Association (OSACA) to work in unity to ensure that the association becomes a household name to recon with at all times.
Olotu spoke while presenting his address at the inauguration ceremony of the newly elected officers of the association held yesterday in Akure.
He said he envisage OSACA becoming a formidable association that any subsequent government will want to associate with saying that if determined could become more stronger to acquire big investment like the farmers in Kenya who acquired a commercial bank.
He advised members not to bring in individual sentiments to have way for hijackers but to intensify effort in building the association to greater heights
This he observed is achievable and challenged them to see OSACA as a Mustard seed which he prayed to grow into a old tree.
The Permanent Secretary of Ministry of Agriculture, Mr Sunday Akintomide who was represented by the state Director of agric services, Mrs Clara Ajayi applauded the association for doing well but that they should intensify more effort in their activities.
She charged them to carry the youths along and encourage them into agriculture , thereby making the state a pacesetter.
In his acceptance speech, the Chairman of the association, Mr Gbenga Obaweya accepted the call to work together for the betterment of agricultural development in the state.
Obaweya who described Unity as an unstoppable Force urged members to be United at all times stressing that they had all worked for a peaceful election
He said they look forward to a greater OSACA, accessing opportunity after opportunity, for their cooperative to be strong enough to evolve into a microfinance bank and creation of a data base for the state Agricultural sector among various others.
The Transition Coordinator, Ondo state Transition Strategy and implementation Committee , Dr Patrick Tolani, in a chat with The Hope expressed his satisfaction in what the association is doing and would always encourage them to spread the message of taking agriculture as a profession and to do it professionally.
” Agriculture is an industrial sector with a lot of potentials for employment generation leading to reduction in poverty to meet the sustainable development goal”.