Osun State governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke has expressed the interest of Osun State citizens in participating in the ongoing Skill Acquisition Training and Youth Empowerment programme of the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI).
The governor also requested that the agency expedite the establishment of the proposed Agricultural Machinery and Equipment Development Institute (AMEDI) approved to be located in the state by the Federal Government.
The government has approved the establishment of six agricultural machinery and equipment development institutes (AMEDI), one in each geopolitical zone of the country. Osun State has been designated to host one of these institutes in the Southwest region.
During a courtesy visit to NASENI headquarters in Abuja on Wednesday, Adeleke stated that Osun State needed the support and partnership of NASENI, emphasising that the agency is crucial to national development. To demonstrate the state’s readiness to host the new institute, the governor revealed that he had already allocated land in Oshogbo for the development of AMEDI.
Adeleke expressed his enthusiasm, saying, “We are ready for action, not only in establishing AMEDI but also in establishing a technology industrial park in Osun State. We also welcome NASENI services and products in our state. I have many requests, so I recommend that NASENI and Osun State work out a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between your agency and my state”.
In response, the executive vice-chairman/chief executive officer of NASENI, Dr. Bashir Gwandu expressed his appreciation to Governor Adeleke for visiting NASENI, noting that he was the first state chief executive to do so since he assumed office as EVC/CEO in May 2023. Gwandu thanked the governor for allocating land and issuing a certificate of occupancy for the NASENI Institute in Osun State free of charge.
Gwandu emphasised that NASENI has a lot to offer to the country, which is why it is crucial for him as the CEO of the agency to tour the institutes and assess their capabilities. He stated that his vision for NASENI is to introduce new strategies for the agency to work and to see its products in the market, competing within Nigeria and with technology products from other countries worldwide.
The statement released by the agency’s director of information and protocol, Olusegun Ayeoyenikan mentioned that the EVC sought the support of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum in funding the agency. This support is crucial for NASENI to provide the necessary resources and products to create job opportunities and ensure economic well-being at the state level.
