A ranking member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Femi Bamisile, has described the ongoing Ekiti State Festival of Arts and Culture (EKIFEST), as a clear and well amplified testimony to Governor Biodun Oyebanji’s strategic and ingenious efforts to diversify the economy.
Bamisile saluted the governor for taking conscious efforts, through pragmatic policies and programmes to diversify the revenue base and rescue the state from sole dependence on the monolithic civil service that has been a noose around the jugular of Ekiti’s economy.
The 2024 edition of EKIFEST, a flamboyant and money-spinning carnival like event, where the state celebrates and exhibits its cultural expressions, kicked off in Ado Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital, on Tuesday, August 6.
Commending the government for the initiative, Bamisile, in a statement on Thursday, said the large number of contingents participating in the event will help strengthen the hospitality and tourism businesses in the state.
Bamisile posited that the fact that the state is now raking in an average of N2.41 billion monthly as internally generated revenue, vividly attested to the fact that the diversification efforts of the Oyebanji’s government have come on stream and gaining tractions across the strata of the society.
The lawmaker representing Ekiti South Federal Constituency II, added that under Oyebanji’s leadership, the creative economy and entertainment industry are becoming huge cash cows that are creating employments and income for the youths, practitioners and government.
“This year’s edition of EKIFEST programme was grandiose and it will open a new vista of opportunities in the creative industry. I am happy that efforts to diversify the economy is yielding dividends.
“The foundation laying ceremony for the construction of International Centre for Arts and Culture in Ekiti further elevated the governor’s commitment to strengthen the sector and make it a strong platform for Ekiti’s economy.
“This singular effort will be a game changer in the industry, because it will be a veritable training ground for the youths who are interested in entertainment, arts, culture and creative industry”.
Similarly, Bamisile commended the Governor for expanding the scope of food production through involvement of Youth in commercial farming along Ipao-Oke Ako axis of Ekiti, saying the agriculture and food security programme of government was not a fluke, but reality.
“If you get to Ipao-Oke Ako agriculture corridor today, one could describe that area as a wonder land in terms of agriculture enterprises. Food production is highly essential to bail Nigeria out of the current economic predicament.
“Our youths must key into this project to reduce economic and social hardship on them . They have to be pragmatic and rise to the reality that not all of them can be captured in the white collar jobs being offered by governments at all levels”.
