Adesoji Adeniyi, Osogbo
Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo said on Tuesday that the President Muhammadu Buhari administration was positioned to redirect the national economy to achieve sustainability and prosperity.
Speaking at the Osun Economic and Investment Summit tagged: “Pathway to Economic Growth and Prosperity for the State of Osun”, in Osogbo, Osinbajo said it was compelling for Nigeria as the most populous black nation in the world to attain prosperity by making necessary economic decisions.
Represented by the Senior Special Assistant on Ease of Doing Business to the President, Dr. Jumoke Oluwole, Osinbajo advised Osun State Government to maximise exploration of array of economic potentials in the state.
He said the state has better advantage in mining and tourism.
The summit was attended by dignitaries, including the governor’s wife, Mrs. Kafayat Oyetola, Deputy Governor Benedict Alabi, Speaker of the House of Assembly Timothy Owoeye, among others.
The panelists include the Minister of Youths and Sport, Mr. Sunday Dare, the Chairman, Bi-Courtney Group of Companies, Dr. Wale Babalakin (SAN), the President, African Fintech Network, Dr. Segun Aina.
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Among the royal fathers were the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi; the Owa Obokun of Ijesaland, Oba Gabriel Adekunke Aromolaran; the Aragbiji of Iragbiji, Oba Ayotunde Olabomi and the Orangun of Oke-Ila, Oba Dokun Abolarin.
Others in attendance were the former Osun State Deputy Governor, Mrs. Grace Titilayo Ponle and her husband, Engr. Tunde Ponle.
Governor Gboyega Oyetola said the agrarian nature of the state makes it a suitable arena for massive agricultural investment.
He reiterated the commitment of his administration towards providing an enabling environment for ease of doing business across all sectors.
Oyetola said: “Agriculture is Osun’s biggest sector. Osun is blessed with the right conditions for multi-crop cultivation and suitable for agriculture investment.
“Being largely an agrarian economy with fertile and expansive landmass, we are your most- suitable location for agricultural investment. We occupy a unique place in the mining sector in Nigeria. We are a mining state that hosts solid minerals.
“We are also a state that has invested in acquiring the licences for solid minerals under our land from the Federal Government. No other state in Nigeria can offer the unique combination of both regulatory and commercial fusion.”
Mr. Dare said with 67 million youths in Nigeria, they are the most vibrant factor of production.
Dare, who said many youths could not take advantage of employment opportunities, especially in the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector, for what he termed lack of technical skills, implored government at all levels to “urgently and hugely” invest in the youth for a prosperous future.
He added that any investment in the youth will bring about gains today and not tomorrow.
The minister advocated mechanised farming to guarantee food security, as well as injecting technology into vocational training to build virile human capital among youths.
Dr. Babalakin made a case for private and public sector-driven development agenda, in which he said private sector driving business would be brought to bear in development plan and policy implementation.
He said that governments in emerging economies of Africa lacked necessary financial muscles to provide infrastructure and embark on other capital -intensive projects, including education, hence, the need for synergy with private investors.
Babalakin advised the Osun State Government to negotiate development projects with private partners, saying: “Investment needs cerebral inputs during negotiations, because cash without intellectual inputs is nothing.”
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