By Adedapo Adesanya
Ekiti State has opened its arms wide open to investors willing to invest in the state and its assets in order to enable the creation of jobs for youths in the state.
This was made clear by the Governor of the state, Mr Kayode Fayemi, during his address at the Facts Behind the State Economy at the Nigerian Stock Exchange last Friday,
He also disclosed that the state had cleared all its outstanding bonds listed on the stock exchange and was ready for more investments, noting that officials were available to answer questions on the investment opportunities that exist.
Governor Fayemi noted that the government could not create jobs in massive terms without the collaboration of the private sector, saying “It is the private sector that can fly that process. But we have a duty to make the climate and condition for job creation available for the private sector to thrive.
“We have passed a law establishing the Ekiti State Development and Investment Promotion Agency. Once the agency commences full operations, it will drive our Ease of Doing Business reforms and provide investors with a one-stop shop to deal with investment-related matters,” he said.
He further added: “The state’s tourism assets also provide significant investment opportunities. At the appropriate time, the state will seek investors for some of its existing assets, as well as several greenfield opportunities.
“This will be complemented by a clear strategy on attracting business, recreational and medical or wellness tourists to Ekiti State.”
Mr Fayemi said the state had renewed its focus on peace and security, which he described as the foundation of any economic development, adding that it had started investing in developing the infrastructure required to make Ekiti State a competitive destination for business.
He said, “We are quite concerned about the increasing spate of violence against ordinary citizens and it is the duty of the government to provide security and welfare of the citizens.”
Mr Fayemi then stressed the need to adopt a comprehensive response mechanism that would tackle the increasing poverty level and inequality in the society to curb insecurity in Nigeria.
He noted that only a collaborative approach with the private sector could successfully tackle and overcome security challenges facing the country.
Adding to that, Mr Fayemi also stated that the state had a long history of partnership with NSE, adding that the bond raised by the state had been fully repaid and committed that the state would continue to partner with the Exchange to grow the economy, urging more companies and individuals to see Ekiti State as a destination of choice for investment.
Dipo Olowookere