COMMERCE AND COOPERATIVES

SALIENT LANDMARKS

  • Appointment of new Portfolio Manager, GTI Capital Limited, to manage the Oyo State Government holdings in quoted Companies.
  • Turning of the sod [Foundation Laying Ceremony] of the Inland Container Depot [ICD] Project on August 11, 2008 which has aroused the interest of credible investors ready to collaborate with the State Government.
  • Sourcing of suitable Investor for the operations of the ICD.
  • Acquisition of substantial holdings of prime stocks in the Nigerian Capital Market with long term potential of enhancing the revenue base of the State.
  • Repositioning of Trans Wonderland and Trans [Nig.] Motels, Jericho through leasehold arrangement with investors.
  • Erection of billboards in market places, production and distribution of IEC materials and, capacity building activities to sensitise traders and Cooperative Societies against the spread of HIV/AIDS.
  • Contribution of N8,000,000.00 matching fund by the State towards organizing the Bank of Industry BOOT Camp, as well as Capacity Building Workshop to train potential entrepreneurs towards generating employment among our unemployed graduates.
  • Organization and staging of the first edition of the celebration of 'Corporate Oyo' designed to appreciate those corporate outfits who were discharging their Corporate Social Responsibilities to the State and to encourage the other corporate organizations to be responsive to the clarion call with a  view to establishing rapport between the government and the Corporate organizations operating in Oyo State.
  • Government has concluded plans with ENTEC Nigeria Limited whose Technical Partners are from South Africa for the establishment of an Independent Power Supply as an alternative to Power Holding Company of Nigeria.
  • Efforts are being made for the establishment of International Mega Market along Lagos-Ibadan Express Road to boost commercial activities and create job opportunities for the youths.
  • Government has allotted shops to traders for effective take-off of the Ultra Modern Business Complex, Ogbomoso.
  • A sum of N5million was released and paid to O'dua Chamber of Commerce towards the successful hosting of 2007 O'dua International Trade Fair in Oyo State.
  • Director of Cooperative Services collaborating actively with the Oyo State Microfinance Scheme to ensure a successful implementation of the programme.
  • Government has formed and registered 1545 Cooperative Societies within the last two years of this present administration.
  • Renovation of the Administrative and classroom Blocks of Oyo State Cooperative College, Oyo was completed.
  • 2,000 sq, meters of land had been allocated to the Federal Government for the construction of Integrated Cooperative Centre at Oyo.
  • Government has completed the steel fencing of Adamasingba Shopping Complex.
  • Renovation of toilets and other plumbing works at Adamasingba and Oke-Bola Shopping Complexes were executed.
  • Restructuring of Bola Ige International Business Complex was effected and the construction of car parks was completed and released for immediate use.

REPORT ON THE INDEPENDENT POWER PROJECT IN OYO STATE

With the deregulation of the Power sector by the Federal Government of Nigeria, the Oyo State government, under the dynamic leadership of the Executive  Governor, Otunba (Dr.) Christopher Adebayo Alao Akala in a swift reaction to the erratic state of Electricity supply in the state, took the initiative to develop significant and sustainable power generation capacity and distribution by inaugurating the Committee on Independent Power project in June, 2006 to consider the various proposals submitted by corporate organizations in the business of Independent Power Generation.

2. The committee swung into action immediately by considering, by way of interviewing the sponsors of all the proposals which climaxed into the signing of a Memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Entec Power and Utilities Company Limited for the establishment of 250Mega Watts Independent Power Plant in October, 2008.

3. The details of the MoU is such that the Entec Power and Utilities Company Limited is expected to assemble all necessary partners for the development of the Independent Power project including the provision of the turbines that would be needed for the Power Project. The Entec Power and Utilities Company Limited is also expected to identify and acquire the sites for the identified Clusters.

4. State Government on its part is expected to provide an enabling environment for its take -off and provision of land for the identified clusters.

5. To this end, the contract for the supply of the turbines has been signed and the State is expected to take delivery of the turbines and other equipment for the IPP by November, 2009. So far, the State Government is yet to spend a dime as it is a healthy Public-Private Partnership Project. The State Government has however issued Certificate of Occupancy for the sites of three locations of the IPP Project in Ibadan. Furthermore, the Environmental Impact Analysis (EIA) which is a vital aspect of the IPP project has commenced. To this end, series of meetings have been held with the original landowners and Management of Industries located in the vicinity of the IPP.

6. Also the contract for laying of gas pipe lines to serve the turbines has been awarded and work would commence very soon.

7. It is intended that Cluster Plants of 25 Mega Watts each would first be deployed in six locations in Ibadan to serve the following areas: Oluyole Industrial Estate, Lagos-Ibadan Road, Secretariat-UCH axis, Ojo Area, Brewery Area, New Ife Road and Asejire Industrial Area.

8. Work on the main plant to generate 250MW would however commence in earnest and this would replace the Cluster Plants when completed.

9. As part of the efforts to boost IPP in the State, the IPP committee paid an inspection visit to the Ikere-Gorge Dam with a view to taking over the Dam for the purpose of Power generation, distribution and transmission especially for the Oke-Ogun Area of the State to compliment the Ibadan Independent Power Project and ensure that the length and breath of the State benefit from this noble effort.

10. At present, meetings with Community Leaders of the Ibadan Independent Power Project sites on Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is on-going and by the end of the year, the Independent Power Project would have taken shape and be rearing to go. Meanwhile, correspondence is going on between Oyo State Government and the Federal Government through the Management of Ogun-Osun River Basin Authority with a view to working out a mutually acceptable working relationship that will lead to bring in Investors to commence work at the Dam Site.

11. It is hoped that by the end of December, 2009, the civil work on the project would have been completed and the turbines installed.

Meanwhile, correspondence is going on between Oyo State Government and the Federal Government through the Management of Ogun-Osun River Basin Authority with a view to working out a mutually acceptable working relationship that will lead to bring in Investors to commence work at the Dam Site.

BRIEF ON INLAND CONTAINER DEPOT PROJECT AT ERUNMU

The idea of Inland Container Depot was borne out of the outcome of the increase in global trade which led to scarcity of space in most Sea ports, a situation that has made it necessary to look for alternative ways of reducing congestion at Sea ports and also make exportation and importation activities less cumbersome for business enterprise.

2. The establishment and operation of Inland Container Depot was considered by the Federal Government and the projects are to 'be established in Aba, Bauchi, Ibadan, Kano, Jos, Gombe, Katsina and Maiduguri.

 

STATE GOVERNMENT ROLE

3. The Oyo State Government under the present administration accorded significant priority to this vision of the Federal Government basically to enliven the relatively dying economy of the State to the previous pace setting standard, this informed her effort at wooing  various International shipping magnates to partner with the State Government after the turning of the sod by this administration.

3.1 When the project becomes a reality, the following are the benefits that will be derivable by the populace:

(i) the lCD, will stimulate industrial growth and create jobs in abundance, in and around the entire South West especially Oyo State;

 

(ii) shippers and other business partners in the States under the zone will no longer require traveling to the Sea Ports to take delivery or send goods to their overseas partners;

(iii) the project will lead to accelerated development of other supportive economic and transport infrastructure like rail, road, waterways leisure/recreational structures etc.,

(iv) it will greatly stem the tide of unwarranted immigration for job seekers in search of economic activities;

(v) the ICD will drastically reduce costs of goods and services thus improve the living standard of the entire citizenry.

(vi) Also the establishment of ICD would lead to low vehicular movement on our roads thereby leading to reduction in road maintenance and accidents.

 

4. As part of equity contribution of the Oyo State Government to the project, an expanse of land (area 121.160 hectares) has been released for the project at Erunmu, Egbeda Local Government. So far, the State Government has spent N55m for the timely take-off of this project. On 11th August 2008, the turning of sod which was one of the vital requirements to forge ahead on the project was done courtesy of His Excellency, Otunba (Dr.) Christopher Adebayo Alao Akala, while the presentation of the cloth copy of the Survey plan to Federal Ministry of Commerce which is another requirement had been done as required by this present administration. Concerted efforts are also being demonstrated to facilitate making the ICD project a reality very soon.

5. The Inland Container Depot when eventually commissioned will feature, among others, the following activities:

  • Receipt and dispatch of Cargo
  • Storage of Cargo
  • Inspection / examination of Cargo
  • Customs clearance
  • Records keeping and Data storage etc
  • Payment and collection of charges.
Gov. Akala and Chief Shonekan discussing during the turning of the sod of Inland Container Depot, Erunmu

BRIEF ON ULTRA MODERN BUSINESS COMPLEX, OGBOMOSO

The present administration under the leadership of His Excellency, Otunba (Dr) Christopher Adebayo Alao-Akala has opened for business the Ultra Modern Business Complex at Ogbomoso and paid all outstanding monies on the project.   The Ultra Modern Business Complex has 399 shopping units which are categorized into the following types.

Type A (Lockup shops)                  -             160 units

Type B (Lockup shops)                  -             96 units

Type C (open stalls)                       -             100 units

Type D (offices)                               -             42 units

Type E (Meat shop)                        -             1 unit

Type F (Ware house)                     -             1 unit

Some of these shops had opened for business activities.  While effort to ensure that other traders open for business is on-going.

 

The complex has the following facilities in place.

1.            Administrative block

2.            Police Station

3.            Fire Service Station

4.            Security post

5.            Public toilets

6.            Boreholes

7.            Refuse disposal sites

8.            Street lights and other security lights

9.            Viable Drainage System

10.          Asphaltic road network

11.          Block wall fence round the complex

 

2.0 For effective management and eventual take-off of activities at the complex, a market committee to work hand-in-hand with the Managing Agent in maintenance of infrastructural facilities, security, sanitary up-keep and settlement of possible rift amongst the traders had been constituted by this administration.  Some returnees from Jos and Kano to Ogbomoso had been given a space in the complex for their trading activities, while WAZOBIA traders at Sabo market at Ogbomoso who had been served quit notice had also been given a space at the complex for their trading activities.

Efforts are at top gear to provide borehole and ventilated improved pit latrine for these traders at the new site in the complex.

The phase II of the Ultra-modern business complex would soon commence where most of the much desired facilities like Banks, petrol stations, motels, etc will be provided for by interested members of the public as part of the public private partnership initiative of this administration.
Ogbomoso Ultra modern business centre constructed by the Gov. Akala Administration