Convener of One Product One Local Government (OPOL), Mr Lanre Johnson, has said that the development of each local government as Economic Zone can achieve over $ 1 trillion economy and create 20 million jobs by 2030 in Nigeria in line with the mandate of the Federal Government.
Johnson, who is also the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Jordan FM/Roseate Forte Limited, made this known at the unveiling of the Lagos Island East LCDA Local Content Development Hub Beyond Oil, the pilot phase, at the Lagos City Center.
The Local Content Development Hubs (LCDH) beyond oil across the 774 local governments, according to the convener, were developed by Jordan FM/Roseate Forte in collaboration with the Lagos Island East LCDA and critical stakeholders in the private and public sector to promote and build local capacity and foster sustainable business ecosystems for MSMEs, traders, artisans, and youths toward radically accelerated non-oil earnings and sustainable economic development and growth in Nigeria.
He expressed the unflinching commitment of the organization led by him to bring together public and private sectors toward building and sustaining a new Nigeria of “our collective dream, greatness and prosperity for all Nigerians,” saying that the pilot would start from Lagos State and from Lagos Island East LCDA.
According to Johnson, the body’s mission in Lagos is to bring additional $70 billion to state GDP across all LGAs by 2030, projecting that 1 million jobs will be created through the development and facilitation of local economy, saying that this is in line with the Roseate Forte Limited’s unwavering support for the business community and government at all levels.
“In our unwavering support for business community and government at all levels, the mission in Lagos is to bring additional $70 billion to Lagos State GDP across all LGAs by 2030, while projecting that 1 million jobs will be created through the development and facilitation of local economy.
“Activities at the hub would include, entrepreneurship, mentorship, knowledge transfer, investments and market linkage: ideation, invention, product certification and standardization, product prototyping, reverse engineering, excellent service delivery, funding and investment, exports and local content development for the manufacturers, artisans, trades, youths and the informal sector,” he said.
He lauded the Chairman, Lagos Island East LCDA, Hon. Folawiyo Muibi (Pepe), who is the host, saying that “he has demonstrated impeccable resolve and showed uncommon passion and zest working with us towards achieving radical and revolutionary developments for his people.”
Speaking further, Johnson said the projected outcomes for the hubs across the 774 Local Government Area across the country are: One Product One LGA, formalization of informal sector, 1 million unstructured/unregistered MSMEs will be converted, 20 export hubs, 57 co-working spaces, 57 shared artisanry factory/industries.
He said that all these outcomes can only be achieved through partnership with all LGAs/LCDAs with their business community, State and Federal Governments, various associations, funding institutions, embassies and other critical organizations.
“I want to tell our president that there is the need for us to come together to build local content development beyond oil, I want to encourage all of us to go about collaborations. I want to encourage all the chairmen across all the 774 local governments in the country to embrace what Hon. Muibi Folawiyo has done, and by what we are going to start doing today, Mr. President will begin to see that change he is talking about has come because indeed there will be economic revolution in the country.
“We can see the array of people, ministries, agencies gathered here today, NYSC is here, BOI is here, SMEDAN is here, NEPC is here, ASLAT is here and ITF is here, I think the journey has just begun for us to hit that $1trillion economy and for us to create 20million job, everything we need will be here in this hub we are unveiling today,” Johnson affirmed.
Hon. Muibi, in his remark, described the programme as a laudable one, saying that it was set up to put his local council on the global map in terms of economic development.
“I feel elated, I’m very happy being the very first chairman to assemble the caliber of people here today, I know what it means to everybody and it is a very good decision in the right direction for the benefit of the local government, the state and Nigeria at large.
“It’s good to bring about economic development to the local government and I can tell you categorically that the youth would benefit more from this initiative because it will give them the opportunities to choose whether to go into ICT, export, mechatronics, entrepreneurship skills, trading and the rest.
“Any kind of support that is required of the council that would enable the initiative to make impact for the local community you can count on me to provide it, because it is the only way for economic growth. And when there is economic growth within the local communities, there will be economic growth across the state and the country at large,” he said.
He appealed to other chairmen across the 774 local government areas in the country to embrace the programme in order to bring economic prosperity to their people.
“I want to appeal to all the chairmen of all the 774 local government areas across the country to adopt this initiative as their project so that the effort being put in place by Mr. President will not go in vain. It is through locals that we can assist programmes and projects of what the president is doing now. If the economy of the local government is enhanced, you will agree with me that it is going to improve the economic level of the state.
“And if economic activities of every state is improving, it will definitely reflect on the economic development of the country. Therefore, I will appeal to all colleagues to embrace this programme as it will be replicated across all the local governments in Nigeria,” the council boss said.
Other stakeholders and partners who were at the event to support the programme include, the Federal Ministry of Finance, the Bank of Industry (BOI), the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC), Taj Bank, Rock Foundation Automobile, the Nigeria Society of Engineers (NSE), the Industrial Training Funds (ITF), the Lagos State Ministry of Trade, Commerce, and Investment, SMEDAN, the Lagos State Ministry of Wealth Creation, NYSC, Lagos State Office of Climate Change and Circular Economy, Association of Lagos Artisans and Technicians (ASLAT), and the Lagos State Ministry of Youth and Social Development, amongst others.
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