Aregbesola’s Post Election Era Encouraging In Areas Of Development – British envoy

The Deputy Head of Political Section of the British High Commission (Abuja), Nigeria, Mr. Andrew Fleming, has thumbed up the progress being made by the Governor of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola.

Fleming, who was on a two-day visit to the state to assess progress that has been made a year after Aregbesola’s re-election, disclosed that what he saw on ground has testified to the fact that the governor is delivering on his promises to the people of the state.

The British envoy said he is moving round states in the country to scout for investment potentials for British companies.

He identified Osun as one of the country’s leading agriculture-based states that is capable to meet the needs of British companies, which now focus on agriculture-oriented businesses.

He noted that the governorship election of August 9 in the state, which preceded the March 2015 general elections in the country, was quite significant on the part of the state and the country at large.

Fleming affirmed that Osun is one of investors’ area of interests, hence the necessity to visit and look around for available opportunities.

“Osun State is strategic in agriculture and business. It is pertinent for us to come visit a year after the election so as to see the progress being made.

“We have seen progress in virtually all sectors, which shows that the governor is delivering on his political promises.

“This time round, we are here to assess the investment potentials in the state for British companies. We know that Osun is one of the foremost agriculture states in the country.

“Some of the British companies are interested in agriculture-based businesses now. So we want to know what the state is doing in terms of infrastructure and business opportunities available in the state,” Fleming said.

Responding on behalf of the government, the Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Moshood Adeoti, commended the British Government for its intervention in the country’s general election, which guaranteed it’s free and fair conduct.

Adeoti said the state is a haven for investors because of the available infrastructure, peace and security which the Aregbesola administration takes with great interests.

He harped on the fact that power distribution and supply is central to investors and Osun is the nation’s centre of distribution, which guarantees regular supply of electricity.

He stated that a conducive environment also attracts investment, saying the state is one of the most peaceful states in the country.

He said: “Osun has been developed to attract investments. We have the least rate of unemployment and high turnover of skilled labour.

“Our government, since Ogbeni Aregbesola came to power five years ago, has been equipping the security agencies for effective policing of the state.

“The result is peace, law and order that are reining in the state. And this is very pivotal to any investor. Besides, Osun is the centre of power distribution, which means there is regular supply of power.”

Earlier, the Ministry of Commerce, Industry Cooperatives and Empowerment had presented to the team a comprehensive investment opportunities that abound in the state.

The presentation which was conducted by the former Commissioner for Commerce, Industry Cooperatives and Empowerment, Mr. Ismail Adekunle Jayeoba Alagba and the former Special Adviser in the same ministry, Dr. Olalekan Yinusa, dwelt on masssive agro-based investment areas of the state and how the state had boosted agriculture and empowered farmers.