KUNLE SOKUNBI
Poised to enhance the Ease of Doing Business, consolidate its status as industrial hub of the country and to take full advantage of the Africa Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCTA), the Ogun State Government has engaged a consortium of indigenous professionals for the development of a masterplan for its Economic Development Clusters (EDCs) across the state.
State Commissioner for Finance and Chief Economic Adviser, Dapo Okubadejo, disclosed this at the maiden meeting with the experts in his office in Abeokuta.
He said that the state government decided to design a masterplan for the development and creation of the clusters to avoid haphazard development, hence the engagement of the experts.
Okubadejo stressed that the economic clusters, which were conceptualised in line with the “ISEYA” development pillars of the Dapo Abiodun-led administration, would deliver large scale legacy infrastructure projects through value chain optimization.
He added that the EDCs located in Ijebu, Remo, Atan-Agbara-Ota, Abeokuta, Magboro and Imeko Afon-Aworo are deliberately positioned to attract local and international partners as well as investors.
“These locations will also significantly boost productive output, achieve regional planning, stimulate economic growth and development that will lead to individual prosperity among others”, the commissioner pointed out.
He explained further that when completed, the clusters would feature Special Agriculture Processing Zone (SAPZ), Aerotropolis, FGN Special Economic Zone, Medium, Small and Micro Enterprises (MSMEs) Park, Automobile, Medical, Education and cities, Free Trade Zones.
Other components of the clusters, according to Okubadejo, are Tech Hub, Creative and Entertainment Village, Iledotun Forest Reserve, Distribution and Logistic Hubs, Industrial and Residential estates, among others.
He, therefore, charged the experts to bring their expertise to bear on the delivery of the project, which he described as key to sustaining the position of the state as the fastest growing economy in the country.
In his remarks, the Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Tunji Odunlami, said members of the team were selected based on their proven track records.
Responding on behalf of the team, former President of the Nigerian Institute of Town Planners (NITP), Alhaji Waheed Kadiri, blamed the problem of haphazard development across the country on governments not having adequate master-planned projects.
He, however, commended the state government for seeking professional guidance for the establishment of the economic clusters.
While thanking the government for the confidence reposed in them, Kadiri also promised that the team would bring their expertise to bear on the project.
“I commend the government for taking this initiative. It is a right step in the right direction. The government has briefed us about their plans, we are now to go and do the design and structure professionally,” the former NITP president said.