Immediate past governor of Osun State, Adegboyega Oyetola, has debunked the claim by Governor Ademola Adeleke that he attempted selling off the state mining licences before stepping aside on November 26, 2022.
The governor who spoke through his media aide, Mr. Ismail Omipidan, said contrary to the governor’s claim, it was Oyetola who made sense of Osun’s assets in the mining sector, under the government’s seven project streams in its Osun Minerals Development Plan.
He said but for Oyetola administration’s conscious efforts at developing the sector, Osun would have since lost all its 17 mining licences.
Omipidan, in a statement, said the misinformation from Governor Adeleke and his team should ordinarily not have found its way to the public space, if they are sincere especially at this period when both Muslims and Christians are seeking the face of God, their creator, asking for forgiveness and better guidance in the months ahead.
“In just two years, the Oyetola’s administration was able to commercialise the mineral assets and executed agreements with Badger Mines and Pan Arabian Mines for the purpose of exploration. Thankfully, the Omoluabi-Badger commercial Gold buying and refining centre ( CBRC) Osu, was completed with the state-of-the-art refining capacity before we stepped aside last year.
“We also concluded the resource valuation of our assets in Kogi with a view to setting up a world-class mine and quarry in Kogi. We also set up MIREMCO (Mineral Resources and Environmental Management Committee) to regulate mining activities in the state. Oyetola never sold or attempted to sell any of Osun Mineral Licence. Instead, he acquired more mineral licences for Osun.
“Out of the 17 licences earlier acquired by the state, the Oyetola administration added two extra licences; another two were even initiated for processing. The assets remained in Omoluabi’s name in a JV partnership for the purpose of asset development,’’ he said.
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