Mr Aminu Takuma, Coordinator, Zonal Offices, Nigeria Investment Promotion Commission NIPC, has said that Oyo State deserves investment certification, having done so much in investment promotion.
He told newsmen in Ibadan on Thursday that the state government had done so much in terms of investment promotion and creation of investor-friendly atmosphere.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the state government had, from the beginning of the present administration, evolved series of programmes and policies targeted at wooing investors to the state.
NAN reports that the administration, led by Gov. Abiola Ajimobi, had since 2011 attracted investments worth 65 million dollars to the state.
The figures of National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) on Foreign Direct Investment inflow into Nigeria over the period from 2011 to 2015 placed the state second only to Lagos State in the South West.
Takuma, who is also Deputy Director and Head, NIPC Assessment Team, expressed optimism that the state would be certified, considering all that had been put in place.
“When we started the certification programme, Oyo did not participate as expected. But the governor eventually gave a marching order and that was the reason they have done so much.
“They have given so much information that we have seen. Oyo will eventually be certified, given by all that I have seen,’’ he said.
The NIPC director stated that it was too early to release the assessment result, adding there were certain things they might probably have not seen.
According to him, “Oyo is trying. I will not say this is the assessment for one reason. We have just called and we cannot begin to talk about what we have scored until we agree with the Oyo team.
“Today’s meeting is an interactive one where we would discuss what we have assessed. So, it is too early to give the assessment.’’
Earlier, Mr Yinka Fatoki, Executive Secretary, Oyo State Bureau of Investment Promotion, said that he was hopeful that the state would be certified with the quantum of works done and support from the governor.
Fatoki said the hosting of NIPC in the state was in respect of its ongoing certification for states
He described it as a competitive process among the constituent states of Nigeria and which was being driven by partnership between the Department For International Development (DFID) and NIPC.
“The process is basically to determine and assess the competitiveness of the states as investment destination; assess availability of data for investors; availability of policies and investment climate of the states.
“This process has been ongoing in the last nine months. States have been gathering and sending data to the drop box of the assessment team.
“Today’s visit is the pre-final verification and certification of information and data we have all submitted. It is a step before the final certification,’’ he said.
Fatoki said that the certification would give confidence to the international community that the state was indeed a recommendable investment destination.
He said the certification would also help the state a lot in showcasing and promoting its potentials to the world.
NAN recalls that the state government has established industrial park on 162 plots of land and a Free Trade Zone is located on 4,000 hectares of land.
Ajimobi had stated that his administration attracted 34 new companies to the state, out of which two companies, Dissengolf and Leyland, resuscitated themselves.
He stated that the companies had since yielded a turnover of N32 billion and created over 3,000 employment opportunities.
