The Governor of Oyo State, Seyi Makinde has said his administration is open to partnership with the United States of America in the agriculture, health and security sectors, with a view to moving the state forward and improving the lives of citizens.
The governor, while receiving the new United States Consul General, Mr. Williams Stevens, who paid him a courtesy visit at the Executive Council Chamber of the Governor’s Office, Ibadan, said the state would strengthen its partnership with the United States to deepen a mutually-beneficial relationship on security, business, entertainment, technology and good governance, among others, to create an atmosphere where businesses could thrive.
Makinde, who was represented by his deputy, Bayo Lawal, noted that under his administration, Oyo State has four major pillars: health, security, education and economic expansion through agribusiness and is looking forward to using the opportunities and mutually-beneficial partnerships between the state and the United States to improve the lives of residents of the state.
The governor said that if his administration was put on a scale of measurement, it had scored more than 70 percent.
“But we are not resting on our oars, as we believe we can do better. Through your assistance and help, we believe we can move the state forward. We really place high premium on agriculture. We also have a comparative advantage in land capital. So, there is no amount of enterprise on land that we cannot accommodate.”
’’We need to really commend your efforts in the area of HIV, which, to us in Oyo State, is one focal point and our Ministry of Health has been working assiduously to reduce the prevalence of the virus. Right now, the state has been able to reach only 41 percent of children while that of adults stands at 77 percent,” Makinde added.
He explained that concerning agric value chain, his administration had put in place various projects to expand the economy, and the SAPz, which is just being introduced at the national level, had been embarked on long ago in Oyo State, disclosing that his administration had attracted a lot of international funding because of the seriousness it attached to agriculture.
While encouraging the US government to assist and partner with the Oyo State government in the area of security, Makinde gave the assurance that the 2023 General Elections would be peaceful and credible.
Earlier in his remarks, the United States Consul-General, Williams Stevens, said his country was poised to improve economic relationships and bilateral trade, and promised to work together with Oyo State to combat crime, while also partnering to prioritise agriculture, health, and security, among other initiatives.
He praised the government of Oyo State for setting the pace in the areas of healthcare delivery, among others, saying the state’s parameters on HIV prevalence were already ahead of some countries and promised that the United States would partner with Oyo State and the Federal Government in combating trans-national crimes and ensure the security of lives and properties of residents which, according to him, is key to creating a conducive environment for businesses to thrive.
“We are focused on security. We are focused on ensuring that we are working together with Nigerian organisations and law enforcement to combat international crime and help environment here to be safer and more secure, which actually directly connects to trade investment.
“We are also focusing on the human concept on regulations, health, partnership, democracy, governance, preparation for the upcoming elections; everything we can do to ensure that people who are here in Oyo State and around Nigeria can have the opportunity to live healthy and safer,” the Consul General asserted.
Olusola Akintonde
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