Lagos State Deputy Governor, Dr. Kadri Obafemi Hamzat, has stressed the need for Nigeria to diversify and expand its revenue streams to support its citizens and alleviate poverty.
Dr. Hazmat stated this on Saturday, while speaking at the closing of the three-day Year 2024 Management Retreat of the Lagos State Ministry of Commerce, Cooperative, Trade and Investment, themed: “Take Part, Take Pride, Deliver Excellence,” which took place held at the Ibis Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos, noting that unless this was done, the country would still have the same narrative even after 30 years from now.
The deputy governor further noted that Nigeria had the potential to be whatever it wanted to be, but quickly pointed out that it does not have enough resources to take care of its citizens and, therefore, the need for the country to scale up its revenue base.
The deputy governor, however, observed that the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment (FMITI) holds significant importance for the nation due to its interactions with multinational entities, encouraging their presence and creating employment prospects.
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He thereby called on the Lagos State Ministry of Commerce, Cooperative, Trade, and Industry to establish a unit saddled with the responsibility of securing grants for the state, adding that “there are so many grants that the ministry can leverage on.”
This was just as he said that there was a need for collaboration with other agencies of the government to achieve the vision.
On the importance of safeguarding the nation’s investments, Dr. Hamzat lamented that young people face significant challenges in securing employment due to the country’s inability to retain or attract investors.
The State Commissioner for Commerce, Cooperative, Trade and Investment, Mrs. Folasade Ambrose-Medebem, earlier in her address, underscored the importance of all ministry’s staff to demonstrate genuine enthusiasm for their roles in achieving the greater Lagos vision, given the ministry’s critical position as the backbone of the state’s economy.
“The mandate of the Ministry is something that needs to be edged in everyone’s memory and what is critical is your role in achieving that mandate,” she said.
Ambrose-Medebem assured that the ministry was committed to exploring ways to leverage the potential of the cooperatives in achieving the desired outcomes and to harness the data for better decision-making.
Also speaking, the Deputy Chief of Staff (DCOS) to the Governor, Mr. Sam Egube, in his presentation titled: “Take Part, Take Pride, Deliver Excellence,” emphasized the importance of staff participation and involvement in achieving the ministry’s mission and vision.
He noted that everyone must continue to develop themselves till they achieved the mandate of the ministry, stressing that there should be a clear link between the ministry’s goals and the needs of society.
According to Egube, the mandate of the ministry looks outwardly, superintending over businesses and commercialization of the state, stressing that this exchange promotes participatory engagement notwithstanding the fact that bureaucracy in the civil service impedes the involvement of junior personnel in sharing experiences and exchanging ideas.
