Our forum committed to advancing devt in South-West — Ekiti SSG

The Secretary to the Ekiti State Government, Professor Habibat Adubiaro, has stated that the Forum of Southwest Secretaries to the State Governments is committed to advancing the socio-economic development of the region.

Adubiaro made this known on Wednesday while delivering her welcome address at the 5th edition of the Forum of Southwest Secretaries to the State Governments, held in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital.

The summit, themed “Strategic Partnership for Regional Development”, attracted Secretaries to the State Governments (SSGs) from the six Southwest states, the Director General of the DAWN Commission, Dr. Seye Oyeleye, and other key officials from the region.

Adubiaro, the SSG, highlighted the crucial role played by Secretaries to the State Governments in facilitating effective administration, inter-agency cooperation, and policy implementation, noting that their strategic position is key to fostering regional integration.

“The Southwest has historically been a pacesetter in governance, human capital development, economic innovation, and social progress. It is incumbent upon us to strengthen existing partnerships and forge new ones for the collective prosperity of our states,” she said.

According to the Ekiti SSG, the forum provides a unique opportunity to assess current regional strategies, identify shared priorities, and develop sustainable frameworks for cooperation in areas such as infrastructure, security, economic development, and social welfare.

“There is a pressing need for increased synergy among our states. The challenges before us demand collective action, and the solutions we seek can only be achieved through intentional and strategic partnerships,” she added.

She urged participants to engage robustly, share innovative ideas, and recommit themselves to actionable outcomes that will shape the future of the Southwest region.

Welcoming delegates to the state, Governor Biodun Oyebanji, who once served as an SSG, emphasized the vital roles played by the office in shaping government direction and ensuring policy continuity.

He noted that the summit came at a critical time for the Southwest region, which continues to grapple with socio-economic and security challenges ranging from food insecurity and inflation to low revenue and infrastructural deficits.

Despite these challenges, Governor Oyebanji expressed optimism about the region’s future, noting that the Southwest has always been a trailblazer in Nigeria’s development history.

“We have no business being trapped in the web of poverty or underdevelopment. Our civilization and progressive heritage call us to higher responsibility,” the governor stated.

He praised the Development Agenda for Western Nigeria (DAWN) Commission for its unwavering commitment to promoting regional cooperation and sustainable development. He also commended the platform for giving SSGs a voice in national policy-making through the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.

Highlighting strides made in the state, Governor Oyebanji showcased recent agricultural investments, including the expansion of youth broiler production schemes, land acquisitions under the Bring Back Our Youth in Agriculture initiative, and the establishment of aggregation companies to boost food production and job creation.

In his address, the Director General of the DAWN Commission, Dr. Seye Oyeleye, painted a vision of a Southwest that leads in connectivity, food security, and technological innovation—one that taps into its inherent strengths and moves forward not in isolation, but as a united bloc.

He challenged the forum to rethink the current approach to governance.

“We must break the silos. Our problems—urbanization, youth unemployment, climate change, and security—do not recognize state borders. So why should our solutions?” he asked.