Ado-Ekiti— The governor of Ekiti State, Mr. Biodun Oyebanji, has started discussions with federal government agencies and development partners in Abuja, Federal Capital Territory, in an effort to strengthen the state’s economy.
Oyebanji said he was in Abuja to personally lead the discussions with heads of the federal MDAs, international development agencies, and some private sector players on areas of support and collaboration with the administration. On Tuesday, he met with top officials of NIRSAL MFB and Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN).
According to Oyebanji, the agencies’ assistance would help his administration’s objective to increase the economic prosperity of the state’s residents.
The governor of Ekiti State stated in separate meetings with the managing director and chief executive officer of NIRSAL MFB, Abubakar Abdulahi Kure, and the director general and chief executive officer of SMEDAN, Olawale Fasanya, that he was convinced that the state’s fortune would improve through strategic partnership with agencies.
He said that the state government would create an environment that would encourage the growth of small and medium-sized businesses while also luring major corporations to locate there.
The focus of his administration, he continued, is on how Ekiti people, who are renowned for their educational attainment, can use their knowledge to generate wealth. He also stated that his administration would stop at nothing to find ways for its teeming youth population to find employment and be able to start businesses.
Oyebanji pleaded with the agencies to promote agricultural and cooperatives in the state: “I know if we are able to build our SMEs, IGR would improve and people’s lives will improve.”
Abubakar Abdulahi Kure, MD/CEO of NIRSAL MFB, stated during one of the sessions that the financial institution will give the government money to deal with youth unemployment.
The head of NIRSAL MFB highlighted a number of programs that the state can use. He nevertheless pleaded with the Governor to make sure that recipients likewise fulfilled their payback obligations.
SMEDAN DG Fasanya stated that the organization is prepared to work with Ekiti State. “Farmers, traders, and artisans make up the majority of the population, so we have a lot to support.”
In addition to funding, SMEDAN, in the words of Fasanya, may help with sourcing supplies and provide business support services. Additionally, he disclosed that the agency intends to establish business information centers throughout the local government regions where people may obtain data on company development and other topics.
In his response, Oyebanji pledged to do everything in his power to help the state’s economy, emphasizing that doing so would put an end to abduction and other criminal activity.
Similar discussions between the governor and his team and two development organizations, DAI Global LLC and State2State Programme, took place earlier on Monday evening. Both organizations expressed support for several of the administration’s planned programs.
