• Friday, March 29, 2024
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I will stimulate economic growth via agriculture, says Adebola

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Olajide Adebola, the governorship candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in Kwara State has stated that he will stimulate the state’s economic growth through Rapid Agricultural Reform Initiative (RARI), if elected governor.

Adebola, who made the declaration recently in an interview with some journalists in Ilorin, explained that RARI was intended to shift the state economic focus towards agricbusiness and entrepreneurship.

“What we intend to do with that is to create jobs for as many people and investment opportunity for as many people in agriculture.

“By 2021 RARI seeks to employ 200,000 youths and by 2022 each one in the agricultural business chain will be self-sufficient,” he said.

Adebola explained that the gap in the agricultural sector is as a result of low domestic production and lack of market access, among others.

He asserted that RARI centre would be established in each local government, based on their areas of comparative advantage and the crops their soil type can support.

This, he said would increase the revenue base of the state and create employment for people in the state and reduce youth restiveness.

He added that fisheries would be set up in area close to bodies of water in the state.

On infrastructure, Adebola promised to make Kwara State a transportation hub of the country.

“In 2015, there was a study done by Kwara State, which showed that the infrastructural gap in the state is about N255 billion. That is a lot and it is not just roads, but other sectors like health, education etc.

“Our orange vision intends to map out the state into six socioeconomic development zones using road networks. We will ensure that rather than our citizens going through Oyo State to get to Kaiama, Baruten, the road from Bode Sadu to Kaiama to Gure is fixed and create another one.

“If that is done, it will facilitate movement of goods and services. As part of our infrastructure plan for transportation, one of the goals is to make Kwara a transportation hub for goods and services in Nigeria,” he explained.

 

SIKIRAT SHEHU, Ilorin