After 21 years of its dormancy, Ire Burnt Brick Industry in Ire- Ekiti, was on Wednesday finally resuscitated and opened for operations.
The State Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi who performed the official commissioning of the industry, described the revival as “a promise kept”.
The commissioning was the climax of several months of strategc planning, re-development, re-equipping of the moribund industry.
Fayemi stated that the resuscitation of Ire Bricks Factory and Odua Enterprise Centre (formerly Odu’a Textiles which was comatose for 23 years) was to expand the State’s resources, provide numerous job opportunities, encourage new skills acquisition by workers and ultimately enlarge the middle class in the State.
The Governor assured that the State would henceforth patronize the factory and use a certain percentage of the red burnt bricks in all its projects across the State.
It would be recalled that equipment worth 400 million Naira was delivered for the revival of the factory a few weeks ago.
The factory which was resuscitated through a partnership between the State government and Odua investment group.
It is however expected to begin full operation before the year ends.
The entire Ire community was agog as representatives of various groups in the town thronged the complex of the Bricks industry in different attire and singing different song in praise of the Fayemi administration.
Fayemi who was accompanied by the Speaker of the House of Assembly, Dr Adewale Omirin and the Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji (Dr) Ganiyu Owolabi and other members of the state executive councils later commissioned an Enterprise Development Centre at Ilupeju Ekiti.
The Governor has commissioned three rural electrification projects at Iyemero, Oke Ako and Ilemeso.
The gesture, Fayemi said, was a fulfillment of his electioneering promise to connect all parts of Ekiti state to the national grid so as to give the grassroots a new life and boost economic activities.
The commissioning of the electrification projects is in tandem with the slogan of Fayemi’s post-campaign slogan” Imole ti tan”, meaning there is light.
He expressed optimism that the light of progress, peace and development has been switched on in the communities.
Also commissioned was the new Ewu bridge to replace the old one which was built in 1934.
Last modified: October 17, 2012