Why Oyo is renovating shopping complexes —Commissioner

The Oyo State Government has put in place policies to promote investment and trade activities.  The state’s Commissioner for Trade, Industry, Investment and Cooperatives, Princess Taibat Adeyemi-Agaba, in this interview with Kehinde Adio, bares her mind on the efforts of the ministry to develop economic activities in the state.

What efforts are being put in place by the ministry to promote trade and business  in Oyo State?

Oyo State government under the leadership of Governor Abiola Ajimobi  has put in place some strategic  trade and investment policies that would drive industrial development, especially at the small scale level.

In view of this, the ministry is working on the renovation of the state government owned shopping complexes  located in some parts of the state. The essence is to boost trade  and business activities in the state.

For instance,  our  Scout  Camp  shopping complex at Molete-Challenge, Ibadan  is undergoing  refurbishment  to  meet modern market  status. Very  soon, the complex will be  ready  for allocation to the general  public at an affordable rate.

Similarly, Adamasingba  shopping complex is receiving a  facelift   to be one of the best   shopping complex centres in the state.

Our Ogbomoso shopping complex is another  trade tourist centre in the state, designed to accommodate all trades.  It is  a modern trade centre where  our people can exhibit their  products to boost their patronage from costumers within and outside the state because of its accessibility, as it is built in a serene  environment.

In view  of this, the state  government is inviting reliable  investors  who will  collaborate with  the ministry in the management process of  the trade centre.

How do you think people in the state can support  the  ministry in achieving  its vision of establishing these standard trade centres?

Oyo State Government has in its trade and commerce policies to discourage street or roadside trading ventures.  This informed the  state  government to embark  on  the development of shopping complexes  to ensure that there are decent and modern commercial   centres  in the state.

We have the intention of having decentralised  mercantile  centres in the state  where people can find  things to buy and sell at wholesale capacity.  Oyo State has a lot of small scale industrialists in textile  and in other commodities, but they are scattered all over the state.

So we want to bring them together for easy access through our shopping complexes in the state. The participation and patronage of the general public  in this venture will go a long way in justifying the government’s   financial commitment to  infrastructure development  of those shopping complexes. The development will also  boost the economic life of the populace, as it would generate employment opportunities, even among the youth  in the state.

What of Agbowo shopping complex, which  has been neglected  for  many years?

I want  to assure the general public that Agbowo shopping complex centre  is also receiving renovation  attention of the government and very soon, the general public  will start to enjoy the facility in the complex.

In this regard, I want to  appeal to all the tenants in the complex to cooperate with  the government to vacate the place while the renovation is going on in the complex, and  at the end of the renovation exercise, the government will give consideration to those who had occupied the place before now.

Will the charges be affordable?

All our shops will be given out at an economic rate. However, I am still appealing  to all the traders in the state to join the state government in its bid to end street hawking on our streets in the state.