By Teniola Blessing.
The Ekiti State Deputy Governor, Chief (Mrs) Christianah Monisade Afuye, has disclosed the readiness of Governor Biodun Oyebanji’s administration to partner foreign and local investors to uplift the state and make it a microcosm of development in the country .
The Deputy Governor, said Governor Oyebanji was incurably committed to attract private investors to boost agriculture and make Ekiti the food basket of the nation, owing to the comparative advantage the state enjoys in the sector.
Mrs Afuye said this in Ado Ekiti, while playing host to the Special Adviser to the Canadian President on International Affairs, Reverend Deji Babajide Kayode, who paid her a visit at her office.
Mrs Afuye, in a statement by her Special Assistant on Media, Victor Ogunje, revealed that adequate funding to propel commercial agriculture forms part of the cardinal programmes and policy thrust of the present government, saying the Governor is receptive to any partnership that will galvanise support for the sector in the state.
The foregoing assertion was sequel to the request made by Reverend Kayode that the South Korean government was desirous of changing the face of agriculture in the continent through a forum christened Platform for African women in Smart Climate Agriculture (PAWICA), urging Ekiti to key into the programme for economic uplift of its citizens .
The Deputy Governor added that Ekiti has favourable atmospheric and edaphic conditions as well as vast land resource to undertake commercial farming for food production and youth employment.
She said no efforts would be spared by Governor Oyebanji’s administration to radicalise the agriculture sector, particularly being receptive to partnerships with private organisations and foreign investors to rejig the sector.
“The entire world is now faced with the reality of food shortage occasioned by climate change and other natural and man made factors. But in Ekiti, we have a government that is ready to propel the state to a food security status.
“Apart from being interested to catapult Ekiti to a food security status, Governor Oyebanji is also resolute to develop the human resources capital of our dear state, particularly the youths and women, by deploying our strength in agriculture.
“We are always ready to embrace foreign partners that are interested to partner our government to make Ekiti better than we met it.
“I will relay this message to Mr. Governor and I am confident that he will be ready to key into this lofty and beneficial idea”.
Speaking earlier, Mr. Kayode, said the PAWISCA was a foundation determined to empower women farmers in Africa continent through provision of incentives to keep them in the vocation , saying Ekiti stands to benefit tremendously if keyed into the global initiative.
Kayode said available statistics indicated that almost half of subsistent farmers operating in Africa are women, expressing confidence that they will contribute better if given the impetus to operate in the system.
“I am an Ekiti person and half of the farmers in our continent are women and this state is not an exemption. We can turn around the potentials and future of our women with strong investments in farming.
“We have good potentials among our women that we can tap into to develop agriculture and that is what PAWISCA stands for and we want Ekiti to benefit from this initiative “.
Meanwhile, the Deputy Governor, had received an Outstanding Leadership Award from the Students’ Union government of the Bamidele Olumilua University of Education, Science and Technology, Ikere Ekiti(BOUESTI).
Speaking during the award conferment held at the Deputy Governor’s office, BOUESTI SUG President, Olakekan Tokimi, described the number two citizen as a pride to the students of the university considering her contributions within the short time she came into government.
“Your Excellency, we are very proud of your achievements as the number two citizen of Ekiti State and how you have been adding values to the government of Governor Biodun Oyebanji.
“You have demonstrated strong character by your humility, generosity and emotional balancing, especially how you relate with the students of BOUESTI within this time and it is in recognition of this that we are decorating you with this award”.