The Federal Ministry of Environment in conjunction with the State government has concluded plans to establish a Sustainable Apprey ( Bee rearing) Cottage Industry at J4 in Ijebu-East local government area.
The project, when completed, would produce honey in commercial quantities for the state and beyond.
Speaking while receiving the letter of Intent for the establishment of the factory from Messers Olaiya Olumuyiwa and Ajibola Abimbola of the Federal Ministry of Environment, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Forestry, Mr. Timothy Olatunji said the project which according to him was laudable would boost economic activities among the residents of the area and the state at large.
The initiative according to Olatunji ‘’was a clarion call to the youths that the days of waiting for white-collar jobs are over, harping on the need for the youth to put on their thinking caps for meaningful engagements.
On the benefits to be derived from Bee keeping production, Olatunji posited that apart from being a food supplement and alternative to sugar consumption, especially by the elderly, it also serves as a health balm for wounds and as prophylactic for ailments and diseases.
He however called on the stakeholders to keep the state abreast of any proposed development or activities in and around government reserves in the three senatorial districts of the state.
The state controller, Federal Ministry of Environment, Mr. Olumuyiwa Olatunji, said the choice of the state for the project resulted from the state’s effort at ensure aggressive afforestation in its forest.
Also speaking at the event, the State Director of Forestry, Non-Timber, Dr. Gbotemi Adeleye noted that it was wrong for members of the public to engage in mining activities in the forest as such development would be devastating to the forest.
In the same vein, foresters in the state have been charged to report illegal activities and projects discovered in any of the state’s forest reserves.
