Ogun State Government has restated its commitment to continue to collaborate with development agencies and private partners in furtherance of its current efforts to promote the state’s economic growth and alleviate poverty among the people.
The State Commissioner for Finance and Chief Economic Adviser, Mr. Dapo Okubadejo, made this promise when he hosted a delegation of the African Export-Import Bank’s (AfreximBank’s) management led by the Regional Chief Operating Officer, Anglophone West Africa, Mr. Intong Eric, in his office in Abeokuta, the state capital.
Okubadejo pointed out that the need to strengthen the state government’s partnership with such agencies and donors led to the passage of the Public-Private Partnership Law and the setting up of the Public-Private-Partnership (PPP) Office by the current administration in the state.
The commissioner listed some of the initiatives undertaken by the Governor Dapo Abiodun-led government to promote industrialization and transform the state into investors’ haven as including the proposed agro-cargo airport, deep seaport, development of various economic clusters, special agro-processing zones.
While underscoring the strategic role AfreximBank has been playing in promoting import-export trade in Africa, the Commissioner maintained that Ogun State, based on its location and size, remained critical to Nigeria’s sustainable development development.
He expatiated: ‘We see AfreximBank as a worthy partner, not only because of the fact that it is an international Africa-based development financial institution but also because of the active interest it takes in promoting the economies of Africa.
“Ogun State is very key to the objectives of the bank because we are the leading manufacturing and industrial hub for Nigeria by virtue of our size.
“Being the centre of industrialization in Nigeria, it would mean that as we embark on all the reforms that this administration has commenced, it behoves us to look for worthy partners that will work hand in hand with us in the economic development of this state, which is also very crucial to the economic survival of South West Nigeria and Nigeria as a whole”, the commissioner added.
In his remarks, the out-going Regional Chief Operating Officer of continent’s export-import bank, Mr. Abdoulaye Kone, expressed the readiness of the bank to further partner with the state in areas such as transport, health, education and other sectors with a view to transforming its growth potential into reality.
He assured that the Quality Assurance Centre the bank is building in the state would be ready soon for operations.
