Oyebanji Inaugurates Board for State Investment Company, Agency in Ekiti

Gbenga Sodeinde in Ado Ekiti

Ekiti State Governor, Mr. Biodun Oyebanji, last Monday inaugurated the Board for Fountain Holding Limited and Ekiti State Development and Investment Promotion Agency with a charge to revitalise and reposition the agencies to become major players in the Nigerian investment ecosystem.

Speaking while performing the inauguration at the Exco Chamber of the Governor’s Office in Ado Ekiti, the governor tasked the new board members on initiatives that would transform the agencies into robust contributors to the state economic growth.

He said his administration’s goal is to establish the state as a competitive force in the country by attracting both public and private enterprises.

Governor Oyebanji, who explained that his dream is to see the Fountain Holdings becoming a major player in the country’s investment ecosystem, said the board should diversify the current portfolio of companies under its managements to explore new vista of greener investment pasture across sectors.

Stressing  that the agencies are critical to his administration’s job and wealth creation mandate, the governor maintained that more opportunities that the state seek could only come from increased business operation that would further assist his administration to be able to meet the overall development plans of the state.

Oyebanji, therefore, charged the new chairmen and board members  “to do everything possible to ensure that Fountain Holdings becomes a fat cow from which the state can milk profitably through taxable income for the prosperity of our dear state.”

He said his expectation is to see agencies expand their current portfolio and use it as weapon of socioeconomic empowerment in line with the local content agenda of his administration.

The governor added that the agencies should invest and promote businesses that can solve housing, capital, credit access, technological, infrastructural, and knowledge needs of the Ekiti people.

According to him, “My ultimate dream is to see the Holdings become a major player, not only in the Ekiti business arena, but in the Nigeria’s investment ecosystem. There are enormous opportunities for the Holdings to delve into, to diversify the current portfolio of companies under its managements, and to explore new vista of greener investment pastures across sectors.

“I therefore want to charge the new Chairman, Mr. Jide Ogundare, and the team to do everything possible to ensure Fountain Holdings becomes a fat cow from which the state can milk profitable and taxable income for the prosperity of our state.”

 Responding on behalf of the board members, the Chairman, Fountain Holdings Limited, Ogundare, who expressed his gratitude to the governor for the trust placed on them, assured him that the new board members would implement strategic measures that would attract both local and foreign investment to Ekiti State.