The Speaker of the Ogun State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Suraju Ishola Adekunbi has underscored the need for the residents, particularly farmers to make good use of the comparative advantage the State has in agriculture through extensive farming and agro-allied trade value chain to attract more local and foreign investors.
Adekunbi said this in his address at a public forum organised by Essebeejay Development Foundation (SBJDF) under the chairmanship of Seye Bajomo, in Ayetoro, explaining that such practices would curb rural-urban migration prevalent in the country for the advancement of local economy with a view to providing agricultural produce for consumption and export.
The Speaker, while commending the organizers for devoting their resources to make life more meaningful to the grassroot people, explained that the State, especially a community like Ayetoro had an agricultural based economy, through extensive farming and agro-allied trade, with a charge on the residents to tap on the comparative advantage of the area to attract more local and foreign investors.
He assured that the State legislature, under his leadership would continue to evolve legislations aimed at promoting massive socio-economic development, extensive industrial growth and world-class social services to make it retain its pride of place among the comity of States in the country.
Adekunbi appreciated the Senator Ibikunle Amosun led government’s efforts at ensuring socio- economic development of the State as well as all round development of rural areas as demonstrated through the construction of Ayetoro-Abeokuta road, which he noted was geared towards creating enabling environment for more businesses to thrive.
Adekunbi appealed for the construction of more rural roads for easy movement of farm produce to market to drive the economic growth at the rural level, while advocating for continuous training of farmers to avail them of modern day farming skills as well as improved supply of seedlings, promising that the current administration would continue to assist farmers through intervention in terms of soft loan, grants and other financial support to further boost their capacity.
Earlier in his welcome address, Seye Bajomo appreciated the efforts of the forebears of the community, who had contributed to the peaceful coexistence and development of Yewaland and State, explaining that the programme was aimed at turning around the fortunes of the land for better through collective economic empowerment.
Bajomo, who called for collective effort among sons and daughters of Yewaland for even development of the district, assured that efforts were in place by the foundation to develop value-chain in different sectors of the State economy as well as empowerment for farmers and traders through a cooperative system for equal benefit and wealth creation.
In her presentation, the State Commissioner for Urban and Physical Planning, Mrs Ronke Sokefun represented by Director, Administration and Supplies in the Ministry, Mr Dolamu Idowu- Agida posited that agriculture remained the mainstream of the nation’s economic development, adding that farmers must embrace modern way of farming, cultivation and marketing of their farm produce.
Sokefun, who stated that the present administration had invested massively in the agricultural sector, admonished participants to embrace the opportunity being provided to complement government’s efforts at the grassroot level.
Packaged by Hazeez Ayansola
