Oyo Assures Of Food Security, Poverty Eradication
Oyo State Government on Monday assured residents of the state that it will not only ensure that there is food security in the state but will strive to eradicate poverty.
The state Commissioner for Agriculture, Natural Resources and Rural Development, Prince Oyewole Oyewumi stated this while speaking at the flag-off of intensive training package for over 4,472 rural dwellers through the State Rural Finance Institution-Building (RUFIN) in nine Local Government Areas in the state.
Oyewumi stressed the need to fight poverty among the people, noting that the state government was also committed to creation of jobs especially for the unemployed youths.
Represented by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Mr. Victor Atilola, he added that the state government is also committed to creation of employment through its various agricultural policies and programmes which have enabled a favorable environment for investors.
He maintained that the 2-Day training ” is meant to support, empower and consolidate group cohesion dynamics as well as management of rural financing.”
According to him, the training would enable the rural dwellers to become credit worthy groups, noting that after the training, they will be linked with financial institutions for loan accessibility by RUFIN.
The Commissioner pointed out that RUFIN will not give loan facilities directly to the participants rather link them up with the financial institutions with lower interest rates after meeting the necessary requirements, stating that the Group Dynamics play a fundamental role in group functionality.
Oyo State RUFIN programme Coordinator, Comrade Olusola Ogundiran while also speaking declared that participants were divided into groups to allow for monitoring and connections with financial institutions and that the programme was not focused on farmers alone but also rural dwellers to reduce poverty in rural areas.
He added that the groups will be trained across 9 Local governments including Ikoyi-Oriire, Ona-Ara, Oluyole, Ibarapa North, Iwerele in Iwajowa, Afijio, Jobele, Akinyele, Atisbo and Ibarapa East Local Government Areas.
In their separate remarks, the caretaker committee chairman, Oriire Local Government, Hon. Odekanmi Oluyinka, who was represented by the Secretary of the Council, Prince Toyin Kolawole and the Head of Local Government Administration, Alh. Bayo Raji, appreciated the government of Senator Abiola Ajimobi for encouraging farming as well as initiating programmes to better the lives of rural dwellers, saying these have reduced rural-urban migration.
