Bimbo Ashiru, the Ogun State commissioner for commerce and industry, has disclosed that over 80 foreign and local investors had applied for land allocations for the location of their various companies in the state. The commissioner said 32 companies had already sited their various plants and enterprises at Agbara Industrial Estate and other parts of the state.

Ashiru, who gave account of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry in the last two years at the 2013 ministerial press briefing held at the weekend in Abeokuta, stated that 19 out of the said 32 companies located their plants at Agbara Industrial Estate area while 13 spread to other parts of the state, just as he said that land allocations for investment as applied by the 80 investors would soon begin.

The commissioner said that his ministry facilitated a two-day Investors’ Forum, during the period under review, where captains of industry, entrepreneurs, stock brokers, financial experts and top government officials met and also held business breakfast meetings which has contributed to the influx of business concerns to the state.

He disclosed that President Goodluck Jonathan had been in the state on four occasions to commission four new factories and sent minister of trade and investment, Olusegun Aganga, for the ground-breaking event at the Procter and Gamble (P&G) plant at Agbara Industrial Estate which he said would be commissioned by Jonathan.

He said, “With the varied opportunities in the state, many prospective investors have chosen Ogun State as their investment destination and thus applied for land allocation for that purpose. To date, over eighty companies have applied.

“Along the vast investment opportunities and Investors’ Forum and business breakfast meetings, over thirty-two companies have opened shop in the state, nineteen in Agbara area while thirteen are in other parts of the state.

“No wonder, President Goodluck Jonathan was in Ogun State on four occasions to commission new factories and on one occasion to turn the sod of a factory, when he was represented by the Honourable Minister for Trade and Investment, Olusegun Aganga, within two years of this (Governor Amosun) administration”.

 

RAZAQ AYINLA, Abeokuta

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