Nigeria must key into technology to achieve growth, says Obanikoro
MEMBER representing EtiOsa Federal Constituency, Ibrahim Babajide Obanikoro, has stressed the need to invest more in technology and small and medium- sized enterprises ( SMES) for growth.
Obanikoro made the call, yesterday, at a town hall meeting and empowerment programme, in conjunction with Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria, ( SMEDAN), where he distributed 1000 laptops and funds for SMES to beneficiaries at the Young Men Christian Association ( YMCA), Awolowo Road, Lagos.
Obanikoro also gave bursary to some students to help them meet immediate school financial needs. Some petty traders also received grants to boost their businesses.
He said: “This year, we plan to focus on the technological advancement of our constituents. The world has gone digital. And the earlier we key into it, the better for our growth. That is why we ha ve decided to start the year by distributing 1000 laptops to some of our students, residents, and also to our friends at Eti- Osa police.
“It is my belief the laptops will aid our students in school work, help some of our constituents in their businesses and our police stations in information management and record keeping.
“All areas focused on, today , are key sectors that affect and drive the economy of our constituency. Injecting this the importance of communiempowerment into our concation, hence we will be stituency will increase the botresuming our monthly attentom line Gross Domestic dance of resident associations Product ( GDP) of Eti- Osa and meetings, which was disruptgive succor to our coned by COVID- 19 restrictions in stituents. 2020 and the most part of
“In the course of th e year 2021. The security and welfare 2021, we identified a lot of of my constituents is of paratraining for artisans in our mount importance. And as constituency, to help them get always, I am very keen to lisbetter technics, finesse, access ten and act to the best of my to more funds, and better abilities. equipment, with the focus “On our contribution to edumainly on youths.” cation, a free school bus
He said further: “We will also scheme was launched, to ease heavily align with the Federal the commute of children. This Government’s focus on agri - is still very much ongoing and culture by training more peo - we plan to provide additional ple and helping to secure agribuses. cultural soft loans for our peo“We also started construcple. In other words, we ha ve tion of three blocks of classidentified some support pro - rooms each for Okun Ajah grammes for farmers i n Etiand Ajiran communities. They Osa in 2022. are at about 70 per cent to 80 “We cannot over- emphasise per cent complete as at today.”