Providing economic opportunities, our top priority – Governors

The Chairman of Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) and Gov. Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti, said the provision of economic opportunities for tNigerians were top priorities for governors all over the country.

Fayemi was quoted as stating this when he received the Czeck Ambassador to Nigeria, Marek Skolil, who paid him a courtesy visit at his Abuja residence on Tuesday.

This was disclosed in a statement issued by Abdulrazaque Bello-Barkindo, Head, Media and Public Affairs, NGF.

Fayemi said providing economic opportunities was a key area foreign missions in Nigeria must assist, if their intention was to help in the liberation of Nigerians from poverty, hunger and disease.

He enumerated what governance at the subnational level entailed for the country.

“We need to increase economic opportunity at the subnational level for the safety and security of our people because security and welfare is the first job of the government.

“In the minds of the people, we need more than governance for the goodwill of the people. At the end of the day there are no Federal Nigerians but state citizens.

“So those who are friends of Nigeria must understand the two level strata of our government and aid the one that best touches the heart of the problem as it were,” he said.

He, however, identified violence and illiteracy as some of the problems that needed to be tackled in providing good governance.

“You cannot extricate violence from poverty.

“Someone who is less educated is a lot more risk-averse than someone who is educated and can read the future and therefore the thrust is to get more people out of poverty and illiteracy, as quickly as possible for good governance to germinate on an even level in the country,” he said.

Fayemi said that was the reason states were interested in agriculture, manufacturing, education and other economic generators that improved the quality of life of the people.

“The more qualified the people, the more accountable the governors would be because qualified people will be able to hold those in government to put their foot to fire for the benefit of all,” he said.

He thanked the Czeck ambassador for the visit, saying he believed the visit will bring about partnership that can bring bonds at the subnational level that will benefit Nigerians.

Fayemi said while he was not talking for the Federal Government, but that as a key official of the President’s campaign team, he was not unaware of the importance of such partnerships to Nigerians collectively.

“We are a very large country. The partnership at subnational is just as important as that at the national level,” he said.

The ambassador, who was accompanied by his embassy’s Political Secretary, Maria Nwanyanwu, expressed excitement on the prospects of helping Nigeria in any way he and his government could.
“I will be delighted as a duty to help in any way.
“I have witnessed in my short stay in Nigeria that there are areas where we can intervene, but most importantly I learnt after witnessing elections here that there are things to learn from Nigeria as well.
“I must emphasise, with no false modesty that your political environment was very vibrant when I witnessed it for my personal experience,” Skolil said.
The ambassador disclosed that since the 90s, Czeck had been rebuilding its ties with sub-Saharan Africa.
“For example, we can be of help to Nigeria not just in the area of security but, also, we can have both feet on the ground on trade. Nigeria is 2nd only after South Africa in our relationships with Africa.
“Our mission has a broad regional scope. We’ve been busy finding our new identity.
“We are back in Africa and feel well-acquainted here, but at the same time we must feel how you see the challenges of European countries in your continent,” he said.