Posted by The government of Ogun State has announced that it is making concerted efforts to develop powerful industrial centres across the state, fulfilling the hopes of the state’s forefathers.
On Wednesday in Abeokuta, the state capital, Secretary to the State Government, Mr. Tokunbo Talabi, made the announcement while interacting with participants in the Senior Executive Course 45, 2023 at the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Kuru, Jos.
To further facilitate quick access to the city, marketplaces, and other vital economic locations, Talabi noted, the State is currently reorganizing the industrial hubs/clusters.
He disclosed that over N4 billion has been distributed over the course of the last four years to the state’s Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (SMEs), of which there are approximately 10,000 business owners.
He said that the state government was eager to build alliances that would lead to the growth of more small and medium-sized businesses, the expansion of economic activities of all kinds, and the promotion of exports to increase foreign currency profits.
According to Talabi, “This effort of our administration towards aggressive industrialization is strictly guided by an inherent developmental philosophy of ISEYA mantra, as entrenched in our distinct Agenda, which is Building Our Future Together.”
Earlier, Dr. Olu Aikulola, permanent secretary of the Ministry of Industry, Trade, and Investment, reaffirmed the government’s commitment to inclusive governance through its initiatives to improve the industrial sector and earn the current administration the title of best state in policy formulation.
According to Aikulola, the State of Ogun is a frontrunner in agriculture thanks to the creation of a Specialized Agro-industrial Processing Zone (SPAPZ), an initiative for integrated development with the goal of focusing on agro-processing activities in regions with high agricultural potentials.
He outlined NIPSS’s mission as one of cultivating a new generation of highly intelligent technocrats through providing them with a space for introspection, study, and training.
Brigadier General Sylvester Oloyede, a senior official at the Institute, lectured on the topic of “Industrialisation, Climate Change and Energy Security in Nigeria: Issues, Challenges & Prospects” during the tour and expressed his gratitude to the state government for the kind greeting they received.
The state government, which he said had made “huge strides” in all areas of development and growth, was singled out for special praise for its “frantic efforts” to reduce poverty among the state’s most vulnerable residents.