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Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq on Monday declared open the 10th Kwara Trade Fair in Ilorin, pledging continuous upgrade of existing infrastructure and building of new ones to ease movement of people, goods and services.
The Governor said the administration continues to streamline business processes to improve the ease of doing business and keep Kwara as a top investment destination in Nigeria.
Addressing guests at the opening ceremony of the Trade Fair which is organised annually by the Kwara State Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (KWACCIMA), Abdulrazaq said the administration has continued to support businesses to grow, especially small scale businesses that are the arteries of any economy.
AbdulRazaq hailed KWACCIMA, the organised private sector, and other relevant stakeholders for their efforts and contributions that culminated in the hosting of another amazing trade fair.
“Regardless of the general economic situations worldwide, the quality of what we are seeing here is a testament to the conducive environment that Kwara has become for all legitimate businesses and economic concerns. What is at play here are ingenuity, innovation, and collaboration,” the Governor said.
He said the government will continue to work with all stakeholders, especially all the security agencies, to keep Kwara safe and healthy for businesses to thrive.
“The Nano, Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (NMSMEs) are the life wire of any thriving economy. This explains our many interventions in this area, including the Kwapreneur initiative, Owo Isowo, conditional cash transfer, and many others,” he stated.
“This administration has invested so much in different projects and programmes to upskill our young people and create the platforms for sustainable job creation. Such initiatives include the innovation hub, garment factory, visual arts centre, sugar film factory, shea butter factory, among others.
“The whole world is going through a new phase in economic recovery, owing to climate change and different developments of the past years. At this time, we must work together to build a more resilient economy and a sustainable future.”
The Governor later toured the colourful pavilions, where lots of products and services were being exhibited for sales and networking by various industrialists and some government’s institutions.
Dignitaries at the event included lawmakers, cabinet members, captains of industry, royalties, and officials of KWACCIMA, such as House of Assembly member representing Ilorin East Constituency Hon. Arinola Lawal; her colleagues from Ilorin North/West and Lanwa/Ejidondari Constituencies Hon. Aishat Tundun Babatunde and Hon. Medinat AbdulRaheem; state Commissioner for Business, Innovation and Technology (BIT) Hon. Damilola Yusuf Adelodun; representative of the state Chief Judge Hon Justice S.T Umar; ALGON Chairman Hon. Jide Asonibare; representative of the President for NACCIMA (National Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture) Olusoji Fagbemi; KWACCIMA President Chief Mrs Ronke Adeyemí; and Dr. Hezekiah Adediji.
Others are the representative of Emir of Ilorin and Balogun Fulani Ilorin Alhaji Abubakar Atiku; CEO KAM Holdings Alhaji Kamaru Yusuf; and representative of Olofa of Offa Alhaji Mashood Adeniyi; among others.
BIT Commissioner Yusuf, for her part, said the Trade Fair serves not just to showcase products and services, but it also serves to establish and maintain customer relations, find business partners and personnel, market research instrument, and position companies.
She challenged business moguls and entrepreneurs in the state to think beyond conventional boundaries, and envision Kwara as a hub of innovation and economic prosperity.
Fagbemi said NACCIMA is undertaking economic initiatives that will impact the life of Kwarans, adding that the organisation was ready to partner with the state government, especially on its various developmental programmes.
KWACCIMA President Adeyemí, in her remarks, said the fair, like before, was designed to give the business community an opportunity to showcase their products and services and attract customers and investors.
She said the choice of theme for this year’s edition — Renewed Hope of Transforming Commerce — was necessitated by the economic realities across the world and a need to work together to trudge through the difficult time.
Adeyemí appreciated Governor AbdulRazaq for his love for the development of the private sector and his support for the agency to host the 10th trade fair.
