Osun State Governor, Adegboyega Oyetola of Osun has described the informal sector as a key driver of economic growth, job creation, and cultural preservation of every nation.
Oyetola said the sector is one the largest employers of labour in the developing world generating income, providing important and unique skills development.
He stated these during a meeting with members of the Osun State Artisan Workers Union on Tuesday in Osogbo.
The governor was who represented at the event by his Special Adviser on Civic Engagement, Mr Olatunbosun Oyintiloye.
He said his administration had made it its priority to see to the survival of informal sector’s survival and sustainability due to its positive contributions to the economy of the state.
Oyetola, who commended members of the artisans’ union for their support for his administration, said the state government would continue to provide a business friendly environment for the survival of their businesses.
The governor said the values in the repositioning of Osun economy had made his administration put necessary focus on the continued survival of the sector.
He said his administration would continue to patronise them for economic development and viability.
On the forthcoming governorship election in the state, Oyetola urged members of the association to vote for him for continuity.
He said if reelected, his administration would not withhold its support to the association but it would rather put more efforts into their survival.
Oyetola urged them to get their Permanent voter cards and use the same to vote for him, urging them not to allow any inexperienced politicians to deceive them.
The governor said the economic prosperity of members of the association is his priority and that the State’s Civic Engagement Centre would continue to engage them for their businesses to thrive.
Applauding the policies and programmes of the government, Chairman of Osun State Artisan Workers Union, Kareem Owolabi stated that the artisans in the state are pleased with the governor.
Owolabi noted that artisans are beneficiaries of the administration’s monthly food support scheme which has greatly increased their output, saying ‘food begets power to work’.
Speaking on other laudable initiatives of the Governor Oyetola’s administration, Owolabi stated that the artisans were the first to benefit from the Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) empowerment programme.
“The recently introduced Gbowoga initiative to empower artisans as well as small and medium-sized enterprises in the state have immensely benefited us. We got about 1000 forms to be distributed to all the local government areas in the state.
“Also, the N30,000 empowerment programme also had beneficiaries from our end. These and many other things we are grateful for,” he said.
