Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Oyebanji, has tasked Local Governments to make huge investment in the growth of economic crops to ramp up the State’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and bring exponential improvement in the standards of living of the populace.
Oyebanji gave the charge in Ikere Ekiti, on Thursday, during the distribution of seedlings and school uniforms to farmers and pupils by the Chairman of Ikere West Local Council Development Area, Hon. Rufus Olorunfemi, to mark his 200 days in office.
Oyebanji, represented by the Deputy Governor, Chief (Mrs) Monisade Afuye, opined that investment in production of economic trees, like Cocoa, Oil Palm trees, Coffees and Pawpaws, will radically improve the income earnings of the farmers and turn the state into reliable agriculture hub.
At the event, the Deputy Governor, made a donation of a sum of N100,000 on behalf of Governor Oyebanji to support the funding of education of the poverty-stricken children in the LCDA.
In his address, Oyebanji showered encomiums on the leadership of the LCDA for the exemplary initiative, appealing that youths should be the principal target to be attracted to propel the economic trees planting policy through provision of adequate incentives .
Reeling out the efforts of the federal government to bolster food production, Oyebanji urged the councils to key into the food production initiative of the wife of the President, Senator Remi Tinubu, who preaches that Nigerians should embrace Home farming.
“Agriculture and rural development forms a whole pillar in the cardinal objective and policy thrust of the Governor Oyebanji’s administration and what this LCDA is doing will go a long way in elevating the set standards and focus to help expand the frontiers of plantation agriculture.
” Governor Oyebanji has demonstrated avowed stand to develop plantation agriculture, with special focus on the growth of economic trees, by regular distribution of seedlings to farmers.
“It should be noted that huge investment in commercial trees like oil Palm trees, cocoa and pawpaw can make Ekiti a reliable agriculture hub in the southwest.
“I have the conviction that this policy will be of tremendous benefit to the people by way of income earnings to farmers and production of economic trees that can enrich the ecosystem, boost the internally generated revenue and contribute substantially to the the state’s GDP”.
On the free uniform scheme of the LCDA, Oyebanji, said the welfarist programme designed for the financially incapacitated pupils will expand access to quality education, thereby reducing poverty, dropouts and other negative indexes pummeling the sector.
“Distribution of school uniforms to pupils from poor backgrounds will enhance their access to education. Education remains a leveler in the society and no effort should be spared to ensure that our children are well educated. We must break all barriers that could prevent them from realising their ambitions in life”.
The Chairman of the LCDA, Hon. Olorunfemi, boasted that the council, had made significant milestone in the execution of its policies, by conceiving programmes that frontally combat poverty, promote academic excellence and expand the scope of farming, for food security.
Olorunfemi, who applauded Governor Oyebanji for giving the councils unrestricted financial independence , promised to initiate agro- allied policies that will fasttrack food security and buffer the effect of astronomic increase in food prices level.
The council boss pledged that prudency and accountability as well as open door policy will continue to be the cornerstone of his administration, to curtail corruption and misapplication of the revenues accruing to the LCDA.