Ekiti State Governor Biodun Oyebanji, has said his government would put all machinery in motion to encourage youths in the state to engage in agricultural business to help boost the state economy and the food security agenda of his administration.
The governor, who stated this at the weekend while on a working tour of some agricultural projects in Ado- Ekiti, said he was impressed with the resolve of some youths to embrace agriculture full time.
He stressed that one day, they too would become employers of labour.
The project sites visited by the governor included the Livestock Development Centre, which provides platform for the Ekiti Broiler Production Scheme; A-Bamsil Industrial Factory , a palm kernel processing plant; and JMK Rice Mill, said government alone cannot fund agriculture, hence, the need for improved public, private partnership to reposition the economy of the state.
He said his administration would build platforms and institutions aimed at collaborating with private sector players to open up space for Ekiti people to apply their expertise in the drive to ensure everyone lives well.
The governor, who addressed some of the youth participating in the broilers’ scheme, promised to remove all forms of constraints in doing business in the state.
Governor Oyebanji who noted that agriculture plays very significant roles in the economy stated that agriculture has the capacity to employ thousands of youths, make them enjoy vibrant and profitable means of livelihood and enhance the economy of the state.
According to him, “Part of our plan is to encourage our young ones to go back to the farm. The broilers’ scheme for our youths is a pilot scheme and I’m so impressed that our young ones are now showing interest in agriculture and it speaks to one of our agenda on agriculture, job creation and youth development.
And by God’s grace, once this one is stabilized, we intend to expand it, the beauty of this project is the fact that government will hand-hold them through the whole process of production.’’
