The Ekiti state government has put measures in place export measures to explore the opportunities in banana production as a means of boosting the economy of the state.
The state government had cleared about 5,000 hectares of land for farming bananas, Muyiwa Olumilua Olumilua, Ekiti State Commissioner for Investment, Trade, and Industry stated this at a recent stakeholder sensitization programme.
Olumilua disclosed that the state government would ease the transportation of farm produce from the farms to market centres by embarking on the construction of 1000km of rural roads (RAAMP) across the state.
He added that the government is also providing various tax incentives as well as proactive security architecture, to guarantee the safety of lives and property.
He also said that his ministry has facilitated the establishment of the NEPC office in the State, to eliminate the stress of going to Akure before exporters can assess the support of the council.
Speaking in Abuja at the technical meeting of the National Committee on Export Promotion, the Commissioner said the State government is passionate about making the agriculture sector the mainstay of the State’s economy.
Olumilua, informed the National Export Promotion Council (NEPC) of the various steps taken by the state government to ensure that the single crop export vision of the administration is actualized.
“With the proactive measures put in place by the State government, Ekiti has no business with poverty anymore. It is a known fact the State is landlocked, and has virtually no prospect in oil production.
The state, however, from time immemorial, has always been very rich in agriculture, and the intention of the government to make poverty a thing of history in the State has become more emboldened with the massive opportunities dotting the landscape becoming clearer.
The current partnership would in fact, further develop the economy of the State”, Olumilua said.
Segun Awolowo, executive director of the council, commended the resolve of the state government to exploit the One-State-One-Product (OSOP) initiative; adding that this was a demonstration of the commitment of the Fayemi-led administration to developing the agriculture sector.
