Ekiti State Governor, Mr. Biodun Oyebanji has called on the youth to shift their focus to agricultural practice to achieve self-reliance in food production and bolster economic development, noting that agriculture remains a viable solution to the country’s economic challenges.
Governor Oyebanji, who made the call in Ado Ekiti on Tuesday at the flag office of a four-day training and empowerment programme for Ekiti youth in agribusiness, identified the programme as a sustainable alternative to the continuous provision of palliative to citizens.
The Governor, who revealed that the programme, which is a Public Private Partnership initiative with YSJ Limited, was meticulously crafted to address youth unemployment through agribusiness, adding that the programme is 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 Ahmed Tinubu’s instruction for the Governors to grow the country out of hunger, Governor Oyebanji portrayed agriculture as a profitable but gradual endeavor and urged the youths to exercise patience and diligently apply the skills they will acquire during the four- day training programme.
He maintained that agriculture has the potential to stimulate economic growth, create jobs, and reduce poverty across the state.
While assuring the trainings of his administration’s maximum support in ensuring they succeed, the Governor revealed that his administration has established forest rangers to safeguard farmers and their crops.
“What I promised you when I was campaigning was that I will 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, appreciated the Governor for his love for the youth and his determination to make the state an agriculture hub in the country. He said the empowerment programe was designed to tap into the abundant agricultural potentials of the state to make the younger ones prosper.
According to the Commissioner, 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.
Present at the event were the Speaker, Ekiti State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon Adeoye Aribasoye, top government functionaries and traditional rulers.