Ogun State Commissioner Harps On Agriculture As Way Out Of Poverty
Nigerians have been encouraged to embrace all available legitimate opportunities amidst the abundant resources in the country for the upgrade of their standard of living without recourse to excuses.
This admonition was given by the Commissioner for Industry, Trade and Investment, Mr. Adebola Sofela, at the 2024 World Bee Day celebration organised by the Gateway Apicultural Association (GATAPAS) with the theme, “Bee-Engaged With Youth,” held in Abeokuta.
Represented by the Permanent Secretary of the Agency, Dr. Olu. Ola. Aikulola, the Commissioner said that Nigerians do not have reasons to be poor considering the numerous opportunities around, pointing out that agriculture remains the best way out of poverty.
Sofela said that the Gateway Cargo International Airport present opportunities for the creation of agro-processing zone to further enhance export, just as he added that the first of its kind Quality Assurance Laboratory which is located few kilometers away from the airport would fast-track the process of exportation.
Encouraging Nigerians to be creative in their approach to available opportunities, he admonished the youths to focus on brilliant ways to make money rather than resort to rituals and fraud.
“Nigerians do not have reasons to be poor if we take advantage of the numerous opportunities to be rich but going the way of agriculture is the best way. Apart from the profit that will come from agricultural practices and its value chain, there would be abundance of food,” the Commissioner said.
Earlier, GATAPAS President, Prof. Adedoyin Osipitan, said the commemoration of the day was to draw global attention to the essential roles of bees and other pollinators in keeping people and planet healthy, adding that bees pollinate 70 per cent of about 100 crop species that feed 90 per cent of the world.
He noted that the world will struggles to sustain the global human population of over seven billion for not more than four years without bees, emphasizing that they are essential for food security and maintaining a balance in the food web and ecosystem.
Youths and interested adults are therefore encouraged to key into bee farming as it is not capital intensive and demanding but very profitable.
