By Editor
As part of the legislative agenda of the Seventh Assembly under the able leadership of Rt Hon. Adeoye Aribasoye, a one-day retreat has been organised by the Ekiti State House of Assembly in conjunction with the Cavista Holdings at Ikogosi Ekiti on the roles of legislature on Enhancing Socio-Economic development in the Southwest States with regards to Ekiti State Nigeria.
The event which was presided over by the Executive Governor of Ekiti State His Excellency Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji ably represented by the Secretary to the State Government Alhaja Habibat Adubiaro gave the Lawmakers opportunity to showcase their legislative potentials and to prove to the world that the duty of legislature has gone beyond the business of lawmaking noting that there is need for the legislative arm of government to encourage investors to the State through the enactment of laws that can make the State conducive for Investment.
Declaring the event opened, the Alhaja Adubiaro described the event as unprecedented in the history of the State Assembly adding that the Executive arm of government would work in tandem with the vision & mission of the legislature to realize their goals and that the event showed clearly that the Seventh Assembly members are passionate about the development of the State going by the theme of the retreat: “Enhancing Socio – Economic Development of Ekiti State through the private sector and foreign direct investment: The roles of the legislature”
She used the occasion to call on investors from home and abroad to see Ekiti State as a viable place for investment, the event which had in attendance the United States Consulaire General to Nigeria, Mr Will Stevens, Political dignitaries, Captain of Industries, Chairman Cavista Holdings Mr Niyi John Olajide, former Governor of Ekiti State, Dr John Kayode Fayemi and other keynote Speakers.
Other eminent personalities include Senator Olubunmi Adetunbi, Chairman Odua Group of Companies Otunba Bimbo Ashiru, Commissioner for Trade, Industry, Investment and Cooperative, Mrs Adeola, Commissioner for Finance Akintunde Oyebode, Vice Chancellor Afe Babalola University and Chairman and Board Members of the Ekiti State House of Assembly Service Commission, representative of Ekiti State Business roundtable and host of others.
Delivering the Lecture, the lead Speaker, Mr John Olajide Chairman, Cavista Holdings and the sponsor of the programme spoke on the journey of the Cavista Holdings to Ekiti State and how he harnessed the underlying potentials of Ikogosi warm resorts some years ago before he got to its present height in the comity of tourist centre in Africa.
One of the keynote speakers, former Governor of Ekiti State Dr Kayode Fayemi who was also a special guest at the event described Ekiti State as knowledge capital of Nigeria and intellectual hub of Africa.
The former Chairman of Nigerian Governors Forum who proferred suggestions on how to tap the untapped resources in the State and convert it to economic asset, charged Ekiti people to see all government projects as government project not as individual particularly when there is change of government from one government to another.
Other speakers at the retreat, includes a former Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria who served during the 9th National Assembly, Senator Olubunmi Adetunbi educated the lawmakers and other participants on the Legislative Framework for private Sector and Foreign Direct investment.
Adetunbi in his paper said it is important for people to have the knowledge of their local economy.
He equally advised stakeholders to transit from political entity to economic entity through the rightful application of (ICT) noting that government cannot continue to develop the propensity of begging to survive in our country.
Commissioner for Trade, Industry, Investment and Cooperative Mrs Adeola former Commissioner in Ogun State and the Chairman Odua investment Otunba Bimbo Ashiru in their submissions said residents should be ready to make use of the available resource in their purview for economic purpose and to stop depending on government.
Mrs Adeola reiterated that immigrants are the highest beneficiaries of resources and the need for proper documentation of properties by all and sundry in the State should be encouraged.
The event was another avenue for the Conference of Southwest Speakers to lend their voices to the topical issues such as regional integration, Insecurity harmonization of House of Assembly rules in the Southwest,
Contributing to the topic on behalf of the Conference of Speakers in Nigeria, the Chairman National Conference of Speaker and the Speaker of Oyo State House of Assembly, Rt Hon.Debo Ogundoyin said he was elated to be part of the success stories initiated by the Ekiti State House of Assembly and wish that all other states in Nigeria would replicate it, particularly in the Southwest States.
He admonished the Ekiti State House of Assembly urging them to sustain the tempo.
Meanwhile, prior to the one- day retreat, the Chairman Conference of SouthWest Speaker and the National Vice Chairman of Conference of Speakers Rt. Hon Adeoye Aribasoye in company with the U.S Consulaire General had visited Agbeyewa Farm in Ipao Ekiti area of Ikole Local Government.
The visit which was aimed at Enhancing Socio-economic development of the State, was attended by other South West Speakers while issues of revitalisation of the region’s collective heritage was discussed.
The Speaker of the Ekiti State House of Assembly who doubles as the convener of the one-day retreat in his remarks, said he was motivated by the former Governor of Ekiti State Dr Kayode Fayemi barely three months ago and thanked the former Governor for his leadership roles.
He commended the sponsor, Mr Niyi John Olajide, Chairman Cavista Holdings for shouldering the responsibility involved in the course of organizing a retreat of such magnitude.
The speaker also appreciated his colleagues in the Seventh Assembly, National Assembly members in attendance, the State Attorney General and Commissioner for justice Barrister Dayo Apata (SAN) for their support and passion for the development of Ekiti State adding that the retreat would be one of the programmes in the legislative arm which will be observed annually not forgetting the roles of the legislative bureaucrats through the Clerk of the House and other management staff.
