Economic Summit: Osun To Align Development Agenda With Private Sector Needs

…Awosika, Ighodalo, Mohammed, others to attend

Osun State Government will use its economic and investment summit to align its development agenda with the private sector needs, Summit Planning Co-Chairman Prof. Olalekan Yinusa, has said.

Yinusa, who supervises the Budget and Economic Planning Ministry, said the summit is expected to attract investments in critical growth sectors thereby leading to economic prosperity and growth in the state.

He spoke while reviewing the plans for the June 25-27 Summit slated for Osogbo, the state capital.

Governor Adegboyega Oyetola in his inauguration address promised to organise a summit to bring together the State Government of Osun and potential local and international investors on areas of possible collaboration and partnerships and to create a diversified and sustainable economic growth.

Yinusa said the summit “will not be a talk-show,” but will comprise mainly of plenary sessions, having up to 52 key economic drivers in the country as speakers, panelists and moderators.

The Chairman of First Bank plc Mrs Ibukun Awosika is one of the key business leaders who have confirmed their participation.

Also confirmed to participate among others, are the chairman of the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG) Mr Asue Igbodalo, the Managing Director/Chief Executive of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) Mr Usman Mohammed and the Central Bank of Nigeria.

Yinusa gave the main focus of the Summit as agriculture; mining; Information Communication Technology (ICT)/Innovation Hub; Culture, tourism and Creative Economy; Youth and Jobs; Infrastructure/Public-private Partnership (PPP); Industry, Commerce and Market; Healthcare; Technical and Vocation Education; Environment (Waste to Wealth), and Service Delivery Frameworks.”

He added that the Summit was designed to promote investment in the identified sectors to guarantee continuous growth.

Governor Oyetola will present the economic roadmap of his administration and showcase investment opportunities to prospective investors and partners at the Summit.

According to Yinusa, the Summit will provide an opportunity to bring the state government, potential local and international investors together to exploit the opportunity of collaboration and partnership.

Yinusa said: “This Summit will reflect some specific roadmap on how Osun economy should be run in fulfillment of the governor’s electoral campaign promises to run all inclusive, participatory and people-oriented government.

“It will serve as an intellectual economic forum where cross vitalization of ideas, opinions and views that will help to chart a new course and a workable economic roadmap.

“We have identified specific socio-economic and infrastructure drivers and pillars to rest the success of our economy on and this will spread across the critical sectors.

“The development pillars will be hinged on Economic Development; Infrastructure Development; Human Capital Development and Security Advancement, and Environmental Sustainability.

“It is imperative to device means to enhance the revenue profile of the state to meet her end needs.

“This Summit has shown the seriousness attached to governance by this administration as it serves a reflection of doing something extra ordinary to reposition the economy of the state for prosperity.

“We are bringing investors from all walks of life to impact knowledge capable of driving our economy and help to turn our state to socio -economic, infrastructure and political pacesetter in the western region.”