The Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has disclosed that his government has been partnering with France in a bid to turn the State into a number one investment destination in Nigeria.
Makinde maintained that the State has been developing its infrastructure so that there would be ease of doing business and transportation in the State, adding that the State is also working hard to improve the security sector, in line with its commitment to its four-point service agenda.
The governor stated these on Friday while receiving a delegation of the French Government led by the French Ambassador to Nigeria, Her Excellency, Mrs Emanuelle Blatmann, at the Executive Council Chamber of the Governor’s Office, Agodi, Ibadan.
Makinde appreciated the French Government for its interest in Oyo State, saying the State government would leave no stone unturned in ensuring that the State becomes the number one investment destination in the country.
He charged France and the international community to pay attention to developments in Nigeria ahead of the 2023 general election and give whatever support they can to Nigeria so that it could deepen its fledgling democracy.
“We want Oyo State to be the number one investment destination in Nigeria and one of the ways we think we are going to do that is to develop our infrastructure so that going around the State, you have easy access.
“So, we believe that when all of these projects mature and are commissioned, then the ease of doing business and moving around the State will be realized. Also, your cost of production will greatly reduce and we want you to hold us accountable to that,” the governor asserted.
Governor Makinde, who stated that the partnership with France had begun to yield positive results for the State’s economic expansion agenda, while also broadening its economic landscape, added that one of the results is the partnership between the State government and France to establish a Farmers’ Market in the State.
He revealed that the State government, through the Oyo State Agribusiness Development Agency (OYSADA) and the French Government, has been working assiduously on having the Farmers’ Market in Oyo State.
“I am hopeful that in about a year, another French delegation would have the opportunity to visit the market,” said Governor Makinde.
The governor noted that the partnership between the State and the French Government had culminated into Oyo State being the foremost State in Nigeria to have investments from the French treasury, and also the foremost State to have an investment in the health sector from the French Government. He, however, said that his administration would love to deepen that relationship.
“Of course, we know that we do have challenges with medical tourism in Nigeria. With this facility from the French government, we believe that Oyo State will definitely be able to bridge the gap nationally as far as medical tourism is concerned.
“People will be coming to Oyo State once they have confidence in the facilities and also the care they can get from here,” the governor added.
Speaking earlier, the French Ambassador, Emmanuelle Blatmann, stated that France has a long-standing relationship with Oyo State, pointing out several partnership efforts ongoing between the two parties in the education, economy and agriculture sectors.
She disclosed that the French Treasury would be granting a Special Treasury Loan of €50 Million for the State, a first-of-its-kind in Nigeria, to boost its health sector in conjunction with French companies.
Mrs Blatmann, who commended the current administration in the State for creating an enabling environment for businesses to thrive, promised to leverage the existing relationship with the State alongside her team members, who gave assurances on investing massively in the State.
The delegation had over a dozen business interests represented.
