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The plans of Ekiti State to become the knowledge economy of Nigeria, as well as make Ekiti the destination of choice for her citizens and all those who will like to live, work and invest in the state; is very well on course.
To achieve this, we need to invest heavily in infrastructure, fix our roads, have our small cargo airport that will aid agriculture and open our landlocked state to domestic and international markets; and ultimately create jobs that our state urgently needs for our vibrant and educated youth population.
INFRASTRUCTURE – Ekiti State needs to upgrade its infrastructure and invest in agric businesses, which will in turn provide jobs for its teeming population of youths, who represent 75 percent of the state’s total population.
SMART HUB – A smart city to promote knowledge economy is also crucial to the administration.
SPECIAL AGRIC PROCESSING ZONES – our state is renowned for its agricultural resources in cocoa, oil palm, cashew, cassava, rice, and other essential crops which would add more revenue to the state through further value addition.
To this end, I am pleased to inform you, the great people of Ekiti State, that the African Development Bank (AfDB) has expressed its readiness to provide technical and financial support for Ekiti State Government to upgrade its infrastructure, including fixing the Ado Ekiti-Akure road, which is currently in a terrible state.
Other projects which the AfDB is willing to support are the Ekiti Airport,the Ekiti Knowledge zone (a smart city to promote knowledge economy) and special agriculture processing zones project, all geared towards improving infrastructure and socio– economic development of the state.
The discussions on these projects happened during the Ekiti State-AfDB High-level meeting over infrastructure development and economic policy programs; where I led the Ekiti State team to deliberate with the AfDB team led by its President, Dr Akinwunmi Adesina at the organization’s headquarters in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire at the weekend.
The meeting was attended by top officials of the AfDB, including its Senior Vice President, Charles Boamah; three Vice Presidents, Celestine Monga, (VP and Chief Economist); Vivienne Banke (VP Agriculture, Human and Social Development) and Ms Bajabulile Tshabalala (VP Finance and Chief Finance Officer); Senior Director for Nigeria, Ebrima Faal; among others.
The AfDB reviewed the project proposals and resolved to provide necessary support to the government to actualise them, in line with the Bank’s mission of supporting national and sub national governments’ development plans.
Dr. Adesina confirmed that the “Bank is excited about Ekiti State’s plans for job creation, especially for the youth and plans to improve the stock of infrastructure”.
As a follow up to the meeting, a team of technical experts from AfDB headquarters would be in Ekiti State in the next few weeks for further discussion and assessment of the various projects. The visit and other activities would prepare the ground for the bank’s final decision.
We decided to seek AfDB’s support for the projects that are crucial to the infrastructure and industrial development of Ekiti State so as to improve the fortune of the state, reposition it as a destination of choice for investment and create jobs.
We continue to count on your commitment and support for our collective mission to reclaim our land and restore our values.
Alálè Èkìtì á gbè á o
~ JKF
