Akeredolu planted 87,000 hectares of oil palm while in office, says ex-aide

DAMISI OJO, Akure

Former Senior Special Assistant (SSA) on Agric and Agribusiness to late former Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, Pastor Akin Olotu, has disclosed that the former Governor cultivated 87,000 hectares of oil palm out of a target of 100,000 hectares in pursuit of the ‘Red gold’ revolution.

According to him, the initiative attracted over 30,000 jobs.

Olotu, who spoke at the annual lecture series of the Correspondents Chapel of the Ondo State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ),urged Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa to dedicate 24 per cent of the state’s 2025 budget to agriculture to enhance food production.

The former SSA lamented that previous warning on food crisis was ignored, stressing that the 2024 climatic condition was not favourable to farming.

Olotu decried the attitude of Agricultural Research Institutes for not living up to Nigerians expectations to tackle food crisis as well as bridging the gap between research and knowledge.

He expressed the need for aggressive rural transformation, saying “the government needs to curb rural-urban drift. If we do not have rural transformation, we are going no where.

“In the months ahead, there will be more food crisis. The present climatic condition is not favourable to farming activities.

“Something has to be done. Food crisis is still ahead. President Bola Tinubu has to set target for the state and local councils. Presently, Nigeria’s poultry industry has collapsed.

“Ondo State has comparative advantage in tree crops. We targeted 100,000 hectares for oil palm but we did 87,000 hectares. We also succeeded in tomato cultivation in Ondo.

The agriculture expert noted that Nigeria is importing oil palm heavily expressing the need for concerted effort to tackle food shortage.

Olotu said ‘We need to plan; we need to know where we are and where we are going to.”

Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa who was represented by Secretary to the State Government, Hon. Tayo Oluwatuyi, said his administration has embarked on several initiatives to boost food production in the country and improved welfare of the citizens.

The Chairman of the NUJ Correspondents Chapel, Tosin Ajuwon, said journalists need protection and support in the coverage of the November 16 governorship election in the state.

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