By Steve Oni, Ilorin
The Kwara State Governor, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed, has assured local and foreign investors of an enabling environment for investment and economic growth in the state.
The Governor, who gave the assurance while receiving the Minister of State for Industry, Trade and Investment, Hajia Aisha Abubakar, at the Government House, Ilorin, said his government is prepared to give necessary support and encouragement to investors as a way of “making Kwara State the preferred choice of profitable businesses.”
Gov Ahmed appealed to the people of the state to be receptive and accommodative of investors in order to facilitate speedy economic growth and development of the state.
The governor, who identified agriculture as a key driver of the economy, acknowledged efforts of the Federal Government to truly revamp agriculture sector to serve as means of diversifying the economy, creating employment opportunities and regaining the lost glory in economy.
Governor Ahmed also commended the Federal Government for its drive to achieve self sufficiency in sugar production through backward integration. “The Federal Government’s effort at achieving self sufficiency in Sugar production is commendable and the backward integration will revive the sugar sub-sector in Nigeria,” he stated.
Speaking earlier, the Minister, Hajia Aisha, said she was in the state to visit Lafiagi Sugar Plant in Edu Local Government area to ensure that it adheres to the Federal Government’s ten years Sugar Master Plan.
According to her, Sugar plantations in Adamawa State, Sunti in Niger State and Lafiagi in Kwara State are being monitored by the Peer Review Team to ensure that they adhere to the Master Plan.
She noted that with over seven thousand hectares of land cleared, the Federal Government would ensure that the Lafiagi Sugar Plant takes off next year.
Hajia Abubakar appealed to the state government to assist in addressing communal issues relating to the plant in line with the government’s policy on ease of doing business in Nigeria.
Leave a Reply