Osun earmarks N4b for citizens’ empowerment

The Osun State government has disclosed that N4 billion has been set aside to boost small-scale businesses in the state.

This was disclosed in Lagos at the weekend at a media parley hosted by the APC National Legal Asviser, Muiz Banire, for three commissioners in Osun, namely Commissioner for Regional Integration and Special Duties, Ajibola Basiru; his finance counterpart, Wale Boluwaduro, and that of Physical Planning, Muyiwa Ige.

While explaining some of the Rauf Aregbesola’s programmes to boost the economic empowerment of the citizens, Boluwaduro said, “In the next dispensation, we plan to provide Micro Medium Fund to traders, agric farmers, etc – it’s a World Bank product of N2 billion.

“But, we are backing it up with another N2billion to make N4billion,” adding that “the minimum each person will get is about N1.5million. We could use that to pop up commercial activities in the state.”

While buttressing the impact of the administration’s economic programmes, the commissioner said, “The National Bureau of Statistics has shown that Osun as tiny as it is with 34th position in terms of revenue allocation from the Federation Account is the seventh largest economy in the federation in terms of GDP.

“And it’s put at over $9billion. When Mr. Governor came in, figure handed down by NBS then was $4billion. So, within a period of three years, we have moved to $9billion.

“Osun is 10,000 square meters larger than Lagos. GDP of Lagos is over $35billion.

“We can make more money than Lagos if we properly harness the opportunities that abound in the state.

“In terms of GDP per capita, which is the term in which standard of living is measured, Osun actually is number two after Lagos.

“In terms of standard of living, the governor has been able to deliver on that.”