The Oyo State Government has renewed its commitment to strengthening the industrial sector through sustained engagement with industries, improved workers’ welfare, regulatory compliance and measures aimed at creating a more conducive environment for businesses to thrive.
The Commissioner for Investment, Trade, Cooperatives and Industry, Professor Salihu Adelabu, stated this on Thursday during a routine visitation to selected industries in the State, including Sumal Foods Limited, Seven-Up Bottling Company, Zartech Limited, Polyfilm packaging Nigeria limited and Nisalee Industries Limited.
Professor Adelabu explained that the exercise was part of the Ministry’s continuous engagement with industries to review developments, follow up on previous observations, understand emerging challenges and strengthen collaboration between government and the private sector.
He stressed that the visitation was not intended to witch-hunt industries, but to add value to their operations, provide necessary guidance and ensure that the interests of workers, businesses, consumers and the wider society are protected.
The Commissioner said the Ministry had reviewed reports from previous visits to ascertain the extent to which issues earlier identified, particularly those relating to workers’ welfare and workplace facilities, had been addressed.
He commended the industries for their contributions to employment generation and economic development, noting that businesses that employ large numbers of people contribute significantly to reducing unemployment and creating productive opportunities for residents.
Professor Adelabu also disclosed that the Ministry was working on a proposed State Trade Policy, to be jointly facilitated and developed by relevant State and Federal Ministries, Departments and Agencies, as well as identified critical private-sector organisations.
He explained that the initiative was among the measures being pursued by the government to create a stronger framework for trade and business development in the State and to ensure that the realities and needs of industries and other stakeholders are adequately captured in government policy.
The Commissioner urged industries to maintain close communication with the Ministry, describing it as their mother ministry, so that their genuine challenges and areas requiring government intervention could be properly documented and presented to the Executive Governor of OYo State Engineer Seyi Makinde, for consideration in policy and budget decisions.
The Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Industry and Cooperatives, Honourable Adeyemo Emmanuel, said the visitation reflected the administration’s determination to maintain direct engagement with the industrial sector and understand the conditions under which businesses operate.
He noted that such engagements would help the government identify practical areas where industries require support, while also encouraging companies to sustain responsible industrial practices that contribute to employment, workers’ welfare and the development of their host communities.
Also speaking, the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Trade and Export Promotion, Honourable Kolawole Ojo Ayoola, said the visitation was important in giving government a clearer understanding of the realities within the State’s industrial sector.
He noted that direct interaction with industry operators provides an opportunity for the government to receive first-hand information on their operations, concerns and areas where further collaboration may be required, adding that such engagements would help strengthen communication between the government and the private sector.
The Commissioner assured them that their concerns would be documented and considered through the appropriate government channels, stressing the importance of continuous dialogue between government and the private sector in addressing challenges affecting industrial operations.
During the visits, management and workers of the companies interacted with the delegation and highlighted measures put in place to improve staff welfare, including health facilities, insurance arrangements, contributory pension schemes and other workplace amenities.
The companies also highlighted their corporate social responsibility initiatives in their host communities, including road maintenance, support for electricity infrastructure, provision of community facilities and fire-fighting assistance.
Some of the industrialists, however, appealed to the State Government for continued intervention in areas such as multiple taxation, road infrastructure, electricity, gas supply and timely waste disposal, noting that these challenges increase their operating costs.
The industrial visitation is an ongoing exercise, with other industries across Oyo State to be visited subsequently as the exercise progresses.
The continued engagement is expected to strengthen government-industry relations, improve the documentation of industrial activities and challenges, promote workers’ welfare and support the State Government’s efforts to create a more conducive environment for industrial growth, trade and investment.
The visitation, led by Professor Adelabu, included the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Industry and Cooperatives;
Honourable Adeyemo Emmanuel; the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Trade and Export Promotion, Honourable Kolawole Ojo Ayoola and representative of the Executive Adviser to the Governor on Security Matters; Ministry of Information delegate and the management team of the Ministry.
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