Oyo State chapter of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has described Makinde as a visionary leader with great foresight for future economic opportunities and strategically positioning the state for the emerging global market in the agricultural sector.
The state Publicity Secretary of the ruling PDP, Akeem Olatunji, made this known in a press statement on Tuesday.
According to the ruling party in the state, Makinde’s decision to take the summit to the doorstep of global investors was a product of a carefully thought out decision that would immensely benefit Oyo State.
Olatunji noted that agriculture is gradually becoming a new global oil that big investors are looking to invest in stressing that, food security, employment creation, and climate change have all being big issues the global community have continued to battle with.
Olatunji applauded Makinde for being intentionally deliberate about making Oyo state economically viable to become financially independent and put a stop to dependence on federal allocation.
Makinde was quoted as saying, “What we are doing here today is to bring in key actors in agribusiness, solid minerals and mining, tourism, sustainable energy, and infrastructure sectors, to discuss the investment opportunities in these areas through private investment ventures, public private partnership (PPP) and public-private-development partnership (PPDP) model in our Oyo State.
“We want to stop the monthly trip to Abuja for federal allocations, we want Oyo State to be a state that can run with zero federal allocation, so that is the main reason for the summit. I am excited about the people and to see a lot of potential and the energy in the room, I am very sure we will harness it.
“We have linked all the major zones in Oyo State with a viable road network and have invested heavily in security to ensure that you are safe wherever you choose to locate your business within the borders of Oyo State.”
Olatunji maintained that developed and fast rising economies across the world are building necessary infrastructures and institutions that would create sustainability for entrepreneurship to thrive particularly among young graduates and job seekers noting that Makinde’s vision for Oyo state has made the state the beautiful bride for global attention.
Meanwhile, Olatunji appealed the citizens especially teeming youths to take full advantage of Makinde’s economic policies and programs particularly in agribusiness development to earn decent career against white collar jobs which will soon fade out.
“The governor’s trip with his team to the United Kingdom for the Oyo international business summit is another testament to the fact that Governor Makinde has a clear cut vision of what he wants to achieve per time and he’s not gambling with time and opportunity.
“There’s obviously no better time to feel so proud of the Ibadan born Governor than now because while other state Governors battle with payment of workers salary, Governor Makinde is already miles ahead searching for permanent solutions that would make Oyo financially independent and viable away from the monthly trips to Abuja for financial aids.
“No doubt Omituntun 1.0 was good but certainly Omituntun 2.0 is already showing greater prospects and we just want to as a party continue to provide the necessary support for the Governor to succeed more. It is in this regard we appeal to our youths and young graduates to look at the bigger picture and key into the ongoing economic transformation under His Excellency, Governor Seyi Makinde for a secure and better future.
“All over the world, entrepreneurship is the way to go and when you have a governor that’s already developing a critical sector like the Agriculture and looking for ways to widely expand its economic value chain, then the only ideal thing is to fully key into such sustainable agenda and in no distant future, Makinde would be producing multiple young millionaires as ‘agripreneurs'”. Olatunji said.
Recall that Governor Makinde, while speaking at the event in London, United Kingdom, said he wanted Oyo State to stop monthly trips to the nation’s capital to beg for financial aid from the Federal Government while calling on the international corporate world and big individual investors to invest in Oyo State.
