The Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun has assured that the State will not relent in sustaining its status as the industrial capital of Nigeria, just as he promised to consolidate on the gains of the industrialization drive of his administration without dropping the ball. 

Governor Abiodun gave this assurance while delivering a keynote address at the 39th Annual General Meeting of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria( M.A.N.), Ogun State Branch in Abeokuta. 

Abiodun, who was represented by the Commissioner for Industry, Trade and Investment, Mr. Adebola Sofela, said the government will continue to provide an enabling environment for businesses to thrive, noting that it would attract more investors to the State and encourage the existing ones to upscale their capacities.

The State’s helmsman said that the ongoing construction of both Abeokuta-Ota Expressway and Atan/Agbara-Lusada Roads would be completed in no time, noting that the simultaneous upgrade of road infrastructure across different locations in the State would further promote economic activities. 

Abiodun revealed that a Committee had been set up to work on harmonizing taxes to reduce the incidence of multiple taxation, pointing out that the State's House of Assembly had passed the Power Sector Reform Bill in line with the forward looking approach of the present administration to address the issue of power.

“Our government is doing everything to  ensure we retain our position as the industrial capital of Nigeria. Ogun stands tall as a beacon of industrial vibrancy in Nigeria. 

“We know your pains in the face of the current situation in the country but we will make sure they are properly addressed. It is only when the local businesses are prospering that there can be a boom for foreign investors. 

“ As a government, we have put a lot into the peace and tranquility  we are enjoying in Ogun State given our collaboration with strategic partners such as the security agencies. We will continue to collaborate with M.A.N. and other stakeholders to promote our common goals,” the Governor said. 

In his remarks, the President of M.A.N., Otunba Francis Meshioye, appreciated the Prince Dapo Abiodun led government for maintaining a cordial relationship with the State Branch of the association expressing optimism that the collaboration will deepen and foster Public Private Partnership for the economic development of Ogun. 

 He also called on the present administration in the State to domesticate the President Bola Tinubu Executive Order to make it mandatory for everyone to patronize locally made goods in Nigeria.

Earlier in his welcome address, the Chairman, M.A.N., Ogun State Branch, Mr. George Onafowokan, lamented the fall of the Naira, among other challenges bedeviling the manufacturing sector, which he said had been partly responsible for the rise in inflation. 

“ The manufacturers are the key to the development of the State and nation. We are the key employers of labour. The government has been doing well but they need to do more to enable manufacturers  guarantee job creation and  the development of Ogun State,” he said.