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From Laide Raheem, Abeokuta
The Ogun State Government says it will continue to collaborate with development agencies and private partners to foster economic growth and ensure the prosperity of the people of the state.
The Ogun State Commissioner for Finance and Chief Economic Adviser, Dapo Okubadejo, made this known while playing host to the management of African Export-Import Bank (AFREXIMBANK), led by its new Regional Chief Operating Officer, Anglophone West Africa, Mr Intong Eric, in his office in Abeokuta.
Okubadejo added that the need to seamlessly drive such partnerships informed the passage of the Public-Private Partnership Law and the setting up of the PPP Office by the current administration in the state.
He listed the proposed agro-cargo airport, deep seaport, development of various economic clusters, special agro-processing zones, among others as some of the initiatives Dapo Abiodun-led government had taken to further entrench the Ogun as the investors’ destination of choice in the country.
While underscoring the role of AFREXIMBANK in the overall economic development of Africa, the Finance Commissioner emphasized that the state is critical to the development of Nigeria because of its location and size.
‘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 Sout West Nigeria and Nigeria as a whole,’ Okubadejo submitted.
In her remarks, the State Commissioner for Health, Dr Tomi Coker, thanked the bank for its cooperation in the health sector, seeking further collaborations in that regard.
The out-going Regional Chief Operating Officer of AFREXIMBANK, Mr Abdoulaye Kone, who expressed the readiness of the bank to further partner with the state in areas such as transport, health, among others, disclosed that the Quality Assurance Centre the bank is building in the state would be ready soon.
