Ekiti State Governor, Mr. Biodun Oyebanji has linked the solution to the country’s current economic challenges to agriculture.
Governor Oyebanji who called on the youths to shift their focus to agricultural practice to achieve self-reliance in food production and bolster economic development, identified this as a sustainable alternative to the continuous provision of palliative to citizens.
He made the call in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital at the flag-off of a four-day training and empowerment programme for Ekiti youth in agribusiness.
The Governor, who revealed that the programme, which is a Public Private Partnership initiative with YSJ Limited, was meticulously conceived to address youth unemployment through agribusiness.
He stressed that the programme was in alignment with his campaign promise to create access and pathway to opportunities for the youths to prosper.
Highlighting the urgency of addressing hunger and adhering to President Bola Tinubu’s instruction for governors to grow the country out of hunger, Governor Oyebanji portrayed agriculture as a profitable, but gradual endeavour while urging the youths to exercise patience and diligently apply the acquired skills during the training.
The governor maintained that agriculture has the potential to stimulate economic growth, create jobs, and reduce poverty across the state.
While assuring the trainees of his administration’s maximum support in ensuring they succeed, the Governor revealed that Forest Rangers have been inaugurated to safeguard farmers and their crops.
“What I promised you when I was campaigning was that I would create access to opportunities for you, and we have created access, we have brought opportunities.
“We campaigned on the mantra of shared prosperity and continuity, and we can only prosper if we are productive because productivity is the only pathway to prosperity and any nation that is not productive cannot prosper, and you can only be productive through what we are doing and those of you that have stepped out, you can be rest assured that you have a partner in me,” the Governor said.
Earlier, in his welcome address, the Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, Mr. Ebenezer Boluwade, thanked the Governor for his love for the youths and his determination to make the state an agriculture hub in the country.
Boluwade said the empowerment programme was designed to tap into the abundant agricultural potentials of the state to make the younger ones prosper.
The Commissioner added that involving the youth in agribusiness would aide food security in the state.
He charged the participants to engage earnestly in the training session and make use of the programme to improve their livelihoods.
