By Akinwale Kasali
Perturbed by the menace of unemployment rocking the nation, revered Monarch, Ooni Of Ife, Arole Oduduwa Olofin Adimula, Ooni Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, Ojaja II, has unveiled a Private Public Partnership Community Development plan to create 50,000 jobs for Nigerian youths.
Oba Ogunwusi said that Governments all over the the world cannot transform an economy successfully without a productive public private partnership.
The Monarch stated that he partnered the Chinese Government owned firm to create employment for Nigerians, as he signed a Memorandum of Understanding, MOU, with the Chinese Government owned firm
in company of the Executive Governor of Osun state, Senator Ademola Adeleke, at his Ile Oodua Palace in Ile-Ife, Osun State.
He said the company will invest in Agriculture, Green Energy and explore the gold, lithium and other minerals resources in Ile-Ife and Osun at large.
He added that the Chinese Company, China Overseas Energy Development Technology Limited,will focus on the development of agriculture, mechanised farming, cocoa processing in large quantity, stating that solar energy, exploration of lithium, gold, liquidified natural gas and other major mineral resources would be part of their goals.
He further stressed that the company is the biggest in Dubai, China, Asia and in the whole world, with branches in more than 50 countries and 200 cities all over the world, promising that signing of the MoU will help Ile-Ife, Osun and Nigeria’s citizenry unprecedented investment flow, expressing his confidence in Chinese Company that they would not disappoint with the funding coming from them with their several billions of dollars.
“The partnership we are signing today with China Overseas Technology Development Company Limited is going to give over 50,000 employment opportunities to Osun indigenes.
“These people would first invest in agriculture whereby they would set up a cocoa proceeding plant in Ife where they are going to have their agricultural hub.
“They will farm on over 20,000 hectares of land, generate green energy using solar which is starting from this palace, this palace will be powered by solar 100 % within the next 30 to 60 days when it’s already completed”, Ooni stated.
According to the monarch, the future of Nigeria oil and gas lies in lithium, adding that soonest, oil and gas would go down and lithium would be the only assistance to power battery, electric cars and ceiling among others.
He added that partnership with the Chinese Company will be both Community and Public Private Partnership driven which in long run would help the economy at the community levels to be emancipated with an emphasis that the investment would be on a large scale both for Osun and the Federal Government level, adding that Chinese company is the best producer of Liquidified Natural Gas, (LNG) in the whole of China, called for the support of all and sundry.
“In Dubai alone, the Chinese Company have investment more than 10 billion dollars. In South Sudan right now, they are investing over 4 billion dollars. They are now ready to invest the double in Nigeria”. He ascertained.
In the same vein, Governor Adeleke welcomed the foreign investors, and lauded the Ooni for his initiative to concede the idea and bring it to reality.
The Governor also commended the Management of the Chinese company for yielding and agreeing to invest heavily in Ile-Ife and Osun at large.
He, however, restated his commitment to continuity to promote culture, tourism and entertainment in Osun to improve on the wellbeing of the indigenes.
In his remark, after signing the MoU, the representative, Zhang Xiaolin, the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer,China Oversea Energy Development Ltd, congratulated Ooni on the celebration of Olojo 2023.
Xiaolin also applauded Ooni for partnering with their biggest company that set to invest in agriculture, green energy, mining among other mineral resources.
Currently investing 11 billion dollars in South Sudan, Chinese Company; China Overseas Energy Development Technology Limited are the owners of the recently constructed DRAGON MART; the largest Chinese market in Dubai and the world which is a Mega Mall City to be replicated here in Nigeria.
