Indications emerged yesterday that Ire Burnt Brick Industry in Ire- Ekiti, Ekiti State which has been moribund for about two decades, would be revived to commence operation within the next eight months.
Ekiti State Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi confirmed this shortly after signing an agreement with CERATEC, the Belgian company which originally built the factory, on the refurbishment programme that would put the industry back to its full production capacity in the shortest possible time. The refurbishment project is jointly sponsored by Ekiti State Government and Odua Group of companies. The Governor said the resuscitation of the brick industry was a positive step for the Fayemi-led administration as it has also brought life back to O’dua Textile which was recently converted to an enterprise centre, housing a skill acquisition centre, a builders mart and a park. Fayemi said he was particularly happy that the efforts have enabled the state get away from the erroneous impression that Ekiti State was neither an industrial centre nor a choice destination for investors.
“What we are doing is to restore confidence by pulling back even though you helped build the factory years ago; of course you left it for us to run and we all know what has happened in the course of the past two or three decades of that industry being there. We are delighted that it is during our time that many of these institutions are being revived.” The Governor assured that a bill would be sent to the State House of Assembly to encourage government’s patronage of products from the factory when it commences full operation so that it wont go bankrupt.
“ I will even take a step further and send a bill to our legislature that would encourage us to use a percentage of what you produce for every government building projects in the State. And we will encourage everyone who wants to come to the state to be involved in any building construction also to use local contents once that factory begins operation”. Fayemi expressed joy that the factory would also be another means of winning the war that his administration was waging against unemployment in the state and urged the O’dua Group to begin training of youths who would be fit to work in the factory to enhance its sustainability. He expressed optimism that the factory would do well with the vast resources available to it since the state is rich in Kaolin clay, as they are found in Ire, Ilupeju, Isan and Ara Ekiti among others.
Earlier, the representative of CERATEC, Mr. Daniel Deconinck had assured that refurbishment work would take off immediately at the factory and would be completed within the next eight months.
Deconinck said government should rest assured that the plant would be revived since it would be repaired by the company which built it. He however appealed that government at all levels should patronise the factory when it commences operation in September. In attendance at the event were the Commissioner for Commerce, Industries and cooperatives, Otunba Reim Bodunrin, Group Mnaging Director of Odua Group, Mr Adebayo Jimoh, Ekiti representative in the board of Odua Group, Otunba Bisi Egbeyemi, Director General of Ekiti Enterprise Development Agency, Mr Seyi Ayeleso,and Managing Director of Fountain Holdings, Mr. Olusegun Osikalu.
Last modified: January 20, 2012
