Dr. Olusegun Mimiko

 Mimiko promises cement factory in Ondo. From Julius Alabi, Guardian

DETERMINED to create more employment opportunities and to achieve an industrialised Ondo State, the Labour Party (LP) governorship candidate in the state, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko, yesterday promised to establish a cement factory in Ose Local Council as soon he comes into power in May.

Giving the assurance at Okeluse Town during his campaign in the area, Mimiko said he had already put in place a committee to understudy the vast limestone deposits preparatory to his winning the election on April 14.

According to him, Ondo State would soon join the league of cement producers, a development which would not only create ample employment opportunities for the people, but also boost the drive towards industrialisation of the state.

Mimiko pledged to resuscitate all the state-owned industries, which had been allowed to become moribund, adding that this was one of the strategies mapped out by his campaign team to curb the problems of unemployment in the state.

“My government will invest in the resuscitation of all these industries and make them more viable before privatising them so as to provide jobs for our people”, he said.

Questioning the rationale behind the privatisation of all the government-owned industries by the current administration in the state, Mimiko said his administration would not allow these industries to die.

The industries awaiting resuscitation, according to him, include Ifon Ceramic Industries, Oluwa Glass Company and Okitipupa Oil Company, which he described as viable firms that could have catered for the employment needs of the people if well managed by the present administration.

The campaign train also visited Ute where the Olute of Ute, Oba Olatuyi Akinrogbe, appealed to Mimiko to “save the town from the menace of gully erosion”.

The traditional ruler also complained of lack of social facilities in the town such as hospital, electricity and pipe borne water.

Promising to attend to “all these problems facing the town, Mimiko enjoined the people to vote massively for the LP and also to guard against any form of electoral malpractice.

He also promised to boost food production through the “House Hold” food security policy of his government, and to achieve this, he pledged loans to farmers.