Ifelodun LG to generate N10m from marble

By Mike Adeyemi

The marble deposit in Oreke, Ilere District in Ifelodun Local Government Area of Kwara State has revenue potential of N10million, hence increasing the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) of the council.
This was disclosed by the Executive Chairman of the Local Government Area, Alh. Fatai Adeniyi Garba during a chat with Pilot Business on Tuesday.
Speaking through the council’s Public Relations Officer (PRO), Mr. Adeyemi Jonathan in his office, he said the long abandoned marble deposits would be exploited for economic gain.
According to him, “Ifelodun Local Government is blessed with lots of mineral deposits, which if well harnessed could boost the IGR capacity of the council and also go a long way to improve the economic viability of the council and invariably Kwara state at large.
“We have large deposits of limestone at Agbona Hill, tourist attractions; chalk deposit; Owu water falls, and plans are on top gear towards making it a global attraction.
“From the geo-physical survey we had, the marble deposit is indeed huge in quantity as its excavation in commercial capacity is assured,” he further disclosed.
The council boss said his administration would seek foreign partnership and aids in extracting the marble.
“If this project see the light of the day, no doubt, it would go a long way in creating jobs for our teeming unemployed youths in the state.
“Presently work is ongoing at the marble site in small scale as quarry companies are paying into the council coffers in the form of tax,” the Council boss further said.
He further disclosed that the council had spent over N1.7m on agricultural revolution as each ward and community in Ifelodun Local Government Area were provided with land and incentives for ‘Community Agric Scheme.’
Through the scheme, he said the local government would become viable in food production capacity’.
The Council boss, however, said the size of the local government has hampered its economic growth, urging the Federal Government to carve out two or more councils from it.
On the salary arrears of LG workers in the state, Adeniyi commended the state government for its efforts towards clearing the backlog.
“Ever since we assumed office in the last quarter of last year, the state government have been paying in full capacity the salaries of local government staff in the state, this is a welcome development.”