The Ogun government has sought partnership with the American government to develop the critical sectors of the state’s economy. Governor Dapo Abiodun made the move when he received the American Consul General in Nigeria, Will Stevens, who led a five-man delegation on a courtesy visit to his office at Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, yesterday.
  
He said Ogun considers the U.S. as a progressive partner in the areas of economy, good governance, security, climate change and human capital development around the world.
   
Abiodun submitted that the state, apart from the sophistication of its people and their cognitive political culture, is popularly adjudged as the New Jersey of Nigeria, and the leading industrial hub in the West Africa sub-region, hence the need to tap from the American experience to further its developmental stride.
   
The governor said his administration, at inception in 2019, assembled a team of highly resourceful technocrats and cerebral policy architects, and conceptualised a transformational philosophy coined ISEYA, which is an acronym for Infrastructural Development, Social Welfare and Well-being, Education and Human Capital Development, Youth Empowerment and lastly, Agriculture and Food Security.
   
He continued: “Through this concept, we have strategically transformed the state with modern infrastructure, deliberate policy steps to attract businesses, and moving the economy from being federal allocation-focused to becoming the state with the third largest Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) in the country.”  
   
“The state’s strategic location as the primary gateway to Lagos State – the largest market with the busiest ports in Nigeria – has contributed to its status as the industrial hub of Nigeria.”
   
Abiodun stated that in its quest to make Ogun the first destination for investors in Nigeria, his administration is currently constructing an Agro Cargo International Airport at Iperu-Ilishan Road in Ikenne Council of the state. He appreciated the American government for its firm stance on democratic governance.
  
The Consul General later told the press after the closed-door meeting that their discussions centred on security and health. He noted that health remains the number one investment in Nigeria, as the U.S. government is in the health sector to help Nigeria achieve the 95-95-95 goals of ending the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the country.
   
Stevens said: “It is my job to promote U.S. trade and investment here in certain parts of Nigeria. I had a great conversation with the governor about the incredible investment the U.S. companies are already making in the state, as well as opportunities for more increased U.S. trade and investment.
   
“We also talked about the tax sector, I think there are incredible opportunities right now to find jobs and opportunities for Nigerian youths to participate in the tax sector.
 
“We’ve seen the explosion of growth and investment in that sector throughout Nigeria, particularly in the South West.”