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AN ADDRESS PRESENTED BY THE GOVERNOR OF EKITI STATE, DR.
KAYODE FAYEMI AT EKITI STATE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
SUMMIT ON FRIDAY, 14TH OCTOBER, 2011
PROTOCOLS
It is my great pleasure to welcome you all to this Summit aimed at redrawing
the economic map of Ekiti State, the Land of Honour. Let me make it very
clear right from the onset that the “Land of Honour” that Ekiti bears, is not
only a reflection of the beauty of her core values of honesty, integrity and
hardwork, it is also aptly describes the vast opportunities that abound across
the State.
I have said at different fora over and over that Ekiti has no business with
poverty looking at the great endowments and potentials at our disposal.
When we mobilised our political machinery for a place in the Ekiti political
firmament, we were clear in our mission to put poverty to flight in the land.
When, by the grace of God, we reclaimed our mandate and got to the saddle
of governance, our resolve to make poverty history became more emboldened
by the clearer picture of massive opportunities that dot the landscape of Ekiti.
It is therefore not a cheap campaign to declare with all vigour that what Ekiti
offers in terms of dividends on investment is uniquely better than in other
climes.
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THE EKITI STATE ATTRACTION
Elementary Economics tells us that man primarily ventures to business to
make profit. In making profit, an averagely successful businessman prefers
where the ratio of investment to profit is lower. That exactly is the difference
between investment in Ekiti and other places. As you are probably aware, this
State parades probably the highest number of graduates in various fields per
thousand. The indigenes of the State are quite well educated, search for
knowledge is our pride. The manpower for your industry or business concerns
is available in quantity and quality. In essence, you have access to cheap
labour to a large extent.
Since the advent of this administration in October, 2010, prevailing peace is
visible all over the State. This comely atmosphere becomes better understood
when viewed vis-a-vis the political stability in the State. This, to be candid, is
a function of the legitimacy of this administration that also enjoys the goodwill
of the people. From the length and breadth of the State, this government, is
people’s government where everybody has a stake. Besides, Ekiti people are
generally hospitable. They love visitors and have unassailable history of
protecting visitors even at the risk of sacrificing their own lives. The ultimate
death of our hero, Col Adekunle Fajuyi who had to lay down his life to protect
late Major General Aguiyi Ironsi who was his guest in Ibadan in 1967 points to
this fact clearly. May I emphasise that that incident was not an isolated case.
It is the Ekiti spirit that is still working in us.
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In spite of security challenges in many parts of the Country,
Ekiti is relatively secured. The State Government has continued to support all
security agencies with vehicles, communication gadgets and in so many other
areas to ensure an effective community policing and law enforcement.
Recently, a Crime Detection System located in the Police Command
Headquarters and some other designated Divisional Police Offices was
launched to combat crimes frontally.
It may interest you to note that the major policy direction of this government
is to establish enduring institutional framework upon which its programmes
are anchored. In demonstrating our clear and honest intentions, particularly
in attracting investors, among the early bills passed by the State Legislature
which have become State Laws upon my assent are Fiscal Responsibility Law
and Freedom of Information Law. These structures are enough assurance to
genuine investors that Ekiti State is safe in the eyes of the law to do business.
This is because every legitimate investment is adequately protected by our
Laws.
Ekiti economy has also been further boosted by the large presence of financial
institutions doing businesses in the state. These range from banks, insurance
companies to stock brokers among others. As a matter of fact, the Central
Bank of Nigeria has an office in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital.
For many of the opportunities in the State, the raw materials are readily
available in large quantities.
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THE OPPORTUNITIES
Investment opportunities in Ekiti are in various degrees and dimensions. They
cut across all sectors.
i. Agriculture.
a. Agro-processing capability in its infancy: e.g. oil palm, cocoa,
cassava, rice, yam, maize, Plantain, Banana, Coconut, Coffee,
Cashew, Pineapple and Sugarcane
b. Fishery
c. Poultry
d. Small livestock: Pigs, Goats, Rabbits, snails, frogs, bees, others
e. Forestry/ Afforestation
f. Processing, packaging and marketing of agricultural products
g. Timber extraction and primary processing sector
h. High potential returns to timber sector coordination and upgrade
combined with conservation and renewal of still significant forest
resources
i. Provision of storage facilities. Many farm produce are destroyed
because of the lack of these facilities.
ii. Tourism resources
a. Cold and Warm springs complex
b. Waterfalls.
c. Traditional sites (caves, mountains, palaces etc)
d. Tourism infrastructure – hotels, event centres, parks etc
iii. Unexplored/unexploited minerals, non-timber forest products
iv. Transportation Development
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v. Investment in Quarry & Real Estate
vi. Education & training services
vii. Healthcare services
THE POSSIBLE CHALLENGES
The Nigerian national economy in which Ekiti State situated is susceptible
to many shocks and alternating variables. Our main challenges are in the
area of poor power supply and bad road network. You would agree that
these are national problems. Nonetheless, the state government has not
folded its arms even in these regard.
Before this administration marked its 100 Days in office, 100 units of
transformers were procured and distributed to our towns and villages to
ameliorate the power problems. We are expecting the delivery of additional
50 transformers and 50 feeder pillars any moment from now in the bid to
improve on the power supply in the State. With the installation of these
equipment, we would be able to benefit fully from the 132KV Transformer
already installed in the State.
On the bad road network, the State Government, in pursuance of its 8
Point Agenda, has awarded contracts for the construction of eight new
roads on which work would commence as soon as the rain subsides. We
have also got assurances from the contractors that the ongoing road
projects they are handling would be delivered as scheduled.
CONCLUSION
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As can be seen, the available opportunities in Ekiti for
investment with the assurance of profits far outweigh the militating factors.
I want to stress the willingness of the government to continue to provide
the enabling environment for businesses to be successfully conducted. Part
of the incentives the State Government is offering are periods of
moratorium, early issuance of land documents including the Certificate of
Occupancy among others. I therefore wish to call on you take the
opportunities that are available and do your business in a fertile land. It
may encourage you to note, distinguished ladies and gentlemen, that
many development partners including the United Nations Development
Programme (UNDP), United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), DFID, the
World Bank, European Union (EU) and USAID that hurriedly closed shops
in Ekiti State in the recent past are fully back now because of the
prevailing encouraging environment. This is a pointer that any investment
in Ekiti State is a right and worthwhile decision on the part of the investor.
It is on this note I wish to present the opportunities of Ekiti land to you for
conversion to productive economic ventures.
Thank you and God bless.
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