Having localised about 70 industries across the state in the last four years, the Ogun state government has resolved to drive more investment from both foreign and local investors to the state this year, through the provision of more incentives such as discounted lands, critical infrastructure like roads, rail and effective security measures.
The state government has also re-positioned its One-Stop-Shop platform,where investors would be given access to understudy the natural and mineral deposits, as well as agricultural productivity capacity, with a view to putting their money in various areas where the state has comparative advantages.
Speaking on the sidelines of 2016 budget defence in Abeokuta, Bimbo Ashiru, commissioner for commerce and industry, said 2016 would be a milestone in the economic history of the state as more manufacturing industries would be inaugurated for business and more investment would be established to boost the state’s economic base.
Ashiru noted that there would be more investments in the mineral and mining sector of the state’s economy as adequate funds had been earmarked for the conduct of survey in order to prepare mineral map of the state and establish quality control laboratory in the geological department, as part of efforts to ensure high standards and quality of products from solid minerals.
He noted that the three incubation centres located at Onijanganjangan in Abeokuta, Odogbolu and Owode-Yewa would be re-positioned to train more semi-skilled and skilled labour that would be engaged by various manufacturing industries as well as entrepreneurs, adding that governmentwas partnering with some German experts to train more youths in thisregard.
While revealing that the state government was targeting N4.2 billion revenue from commerce and industrial activities in 2016 through the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Ashiruassured that the ministry would work assiduously towards ensuring that favourable industrial and commercial atmosphere was created for investment and entrepreneurship to thrive this year.
Similarly, Governor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State had said that government would do everything humanly possible to ensure that N200.2 billion 2016 Ogun State Budget would have better impact on the economy and industrialisation, saying that government would work round the clock to ensure that the fiscal estaimates have positive impacts on people’s standard of living. Governor Amosun, who spoke shortly after he signed the 2016 budget into law, pledged that the fiscal policy of government this year would be ambitiously pursued to change the economic situation for better by investing more in infrastructure and human capital development in order to attract more investments, create wealth and generate more jobs for jobless youths
‘’This budget was well thought-out and ambitious because we did not allow the current economic situation in the country to dampen our spirit. We will go all out to generate the much needed revenue to fund the budget and do all within our power to make it work.
“I want to assure our people that this budget would be fully implemented. Once that is done, our people would be better for it. We know so well that we do not have enough time left to work for our people. This is the reason we are determined to work round the clock and leave legacies for the state that generations yet unborn would be proud of,” Amosun said.
