Gbenga Sodeinde in Ado-Ekiti
Ekiti State Governor, Mr. Biodun Oyebanji, has unveiled an bold industrialisation blueprint for his second time period in workplace, declaring that his administration will shift from constructing infrastructure to driving industrial development, increasing native worth addition and supporting small companies as a part of efforts to rework the state’s financial system.
The governor mentioned the following part of his administration would concentrate on making certain that agricultural produce grown in Ekiti is processed regionally into completed merchandise able to producing increased financial worth, creating jobs and stimulating non-public sector-led growth.
Speaking on his second-term agenda throughout an interview in Ado Ekiti, Oyebanji mentioned the inspiration for financial growth had already been laid by means of large investments in roads, electrical energy, agriculture and different vital infrastructure throughout his first time period.
According to him, the precedence now could be to transform these investments into productiveness and shared prosperity by means of industrialisation.
“Our next major focus is industrialisation and support for small businesses. That is the only way we can deepen our shared prosperity agenda,” the governor mentioned.
He defined that whereas infrastructure growth would proceed, better consideration would now be dedicated to empowering small and medium-scale enterprises by enhancing entry to inexpensive financing for welders, tailors, hairdressers, barbers, artisans and different entrepreneurs to broaden their companies and create employment.
Oyebanji mentioned his administration would additionally strengthen agricultural worth chains by making certain that farmers produce at scale and are linked to dependable off-takers and processing firms that may convert uncooked agricultural merchandise into completed items for native consumption and export.
To appeal to funding into the state, the governor mentioned the federal government was implementing reforms to enhance the benefit of doing enterprise by means of simplified approval processes, streamlined taxation, reforms in land administration and the institution of a one-stop funding centre for traders.
The governor famous that these initiatives had already begun attracting important non-public funding into the state’s agriculture sector, significantly inside the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zone, the place traders have dedicated billions of naira to agribusiness initiatives.
Oyebanji cited Agbeyewa Farms, described as one of many world’s largest cassava farms, alongside Arog Agro-Allied and different agribusinesses as proof of rising investor confidence in Ekiti’s financial system.
He added that the African Development Bank’s choice of Ekiti as a Tier-2 State below the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zone Programme would additional strengthen the state’s industrial ambitions by means of irrigation growth and expanded agricultural manufacturing.
The governor pressured that the federal government’s duty was to not set up industries however to create the precise atmosphere for companies to flourish.
“Capital flows to places where it is treated well. Our responsibility is to provide infrastructure, guarantee security, improve the business environment and create policies that encourage investors to establish industries and create jobs,” he mentioned.
Beyond industrialisation, Oyebanji disclosed that his administration was accelerating efforts to place the Ekiti Agro-Allied International Cargo Airport as a 24-hour facility by means of the set up of an Instrument Landing System, airfield lighting and a privately developed aviation gas depot.
According to him, the airport would grow to be a strategic hub for funding, cargo motion and agricultural exports as soon as the continued initiatives are accomplished.
He additionally revealed plans to broaden the state’s transportation system by means of the deployment of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG)-powered and electrical automobiles, saying the initiative would cut back transportation prices, enhance mobility and help financial actions with out disrupting current transport operators.
Oyebanji mentioned the industrialisation agenda can be mirrored prominently within the 2027 price range, expressing confidence that the technique would speed up productiveness, create sustainable jobs and place Ekiti State because the main vacation spot for funding, agro-processing and manufacturing in Nigeria.
“Our central objective in this second term is to catalyse productivity and ensure that our economy becomes more productive. Everything we are doing is geared towards creating opportunities for businesses to thrive and for our people to enjoy greater prosperity,” the governor mentioned.
