By Omoniyi Salaudeen
The ground-breaking ceremony of the N300 billion Brent Sugar Plantation and Mill was held on Tuesday in Iseyin, Oyo State, amid excitement. The plantation is sited on 11,000 hectares of land along Iseyin-Ogbomoso Road.
Executive Secretary, National Sugar Development Council (NSDC), Mr. Zacch Adedeji, who spoke during the ceremony, noted that the Federal Government was committed to leveraging the sugar master plan to reduce poverty and unemployment in the country. According to him, 6000 hectares would be irrigated from a canal with water from the Ikere Gorge Dam established by the Federal Government in 1983.
In his keynote address, Adedeji said that the investment by Brent Sugar is a practical demonstration of the commitment of President Muhammadu Buhari toward building a productive country.
He said the government must do everything to get the private sector to venture into projects that could take Nigerians, particularly the youths, out of poverty.
“One of the major tools that we have, and which can help us take the youths out of poverty is the sugarcane-based industries.
“We must commend Brent Sugar Limited for deeming it fit to establish this kind of project in this environment. This is not only for Oyo State, but for Nigeria.
“The mantra of President Muhammadu Buhari is that we must eat what we grow and grow what we eat. This is one practical example,” he said.
President, African Development Bank (AfDB), Dr Akinwunmi Adesina, in his remark said industrialisation is the pillar for economic prosperity.
Adesina, who was represented by his Senior Special Assistant on Industrialisation, Professor Oyebanji Oyelahan, said that establishment of Brent Sugar is a path to industrialisation and economic prosperity.
He urged the people to cooperate with the company, saying there are lot to benefit as a community and nation.
In his address, the Chief Executive Officer, Brent Sugar Limited, Mr Martins Akinola, said the total investment that would be committed to the project is about N300 billion over a period of five years.
“For the sugarcane plantation, the company is investing nothing less than N120b for the 11,000 hectares that we are going to plant. We are going to phase it on yearly basis.
“In 2023, we are going to plant 1,000 hectares, and we are hoping that the following year, we will be doubling it on yearly basis.
“For the integrated mill and the refinery, that is going to cost about N30b because it is going to have coal generation which will be generating electricity,” he said.
Akinola said that the company would cultivate a total of 11,000 hectares on the sugarcane plantation, stating that 5,000 hectares would be cultivated directly by the company while selected out-growers would cultivate the remaining 6,000 hectares.
He said that the company would generate 30 megawatts of electricity and create employment opportunities for no fewer than 10,000 people.
The company boss said that 300,000 litres of ethanol would be generated from the waste from the refinery.
Akinola said that part of their social responsibilities to the Iseyin community would be the building of a model school and award of scholarships to indigent students.
He appealed to the Oyo State Government to reconstruct the road to Ikere Gorge Dam, which would serve irrigation purpose to the company.
Akinola thanked President Buhari, Adedeji and Governor Seyi Makinde for their support which had helped the company to attain the present state.
The governor in his response, promised to ensure the road to Ikere Gorge Dam was constructed and made motorable for all.
Makinde, who was represented by his deputy, Mr Bayo Lawal, said the state government was committed to infrastructural development of the state.
He said that such was evident in the interconnectivity project of the administration aimed at connecting the five zones of the state.
The governor said that the company would be greatly beneficial to the state, adding it would complement effort of his administration in the areas of poverty reduction, employment creation and infrastructural development.