13/12/2011 (The Nation) - A group of Indonesian investors has indicated interest in working with the Oyo State government in   agriculture and mining.

The investors from the Bakrie Group, led by an Indonesian-based Nigerian, Mr. Ladi Delano, were on a working visit to Oyo State to see the areas of cooperation with the state government in enhancing the socio-economic development of the state.

Delano, who spoke on behalf of his group , described the state as an investors’ destination of choice, with a lot of potentials.

According to him, his organisation, which he said was the largest in Indonesia, was into rubber and palm oil plantation, mining, oil and gas and steel production, adding that it would invest about $1 billion in Nigeria in the next five years.

“We have seen a lot of investment opportunities in Oyo State and we are here to partner with the government. We want to be partners with the government in the development of the economy of this state,’’ Delano said.

He praised Governor Ajimobi for his leadership style and for his passion for the growth and development of the state, which he said, had attracted his organisation to the state.

Replying, Governor Ajimobi expressed regret that the state, which used to be a pace setter, had deteriorated and had thus lost the status.

He, however, expressed his administration’s determination to bring the state back to its pace setting status through its repositioning, reformation and transformation agenda.

The governor said that already, there was a 9,000 hectares of land yearning to be cultivated, while about 5,000 youths would be involved in the farm settlement project of the state government.

On property development, Sen. Ajimobi, who expressed surprise that the state could not boast of any five-star hotel, said that his government was also looking into the possibility of building one, with facilities such as shopping malls and a recreation centre.