The Government of Osun State has raised the alarm over the refusal of traders in the state to make use of the international market places that the administration of Governor Rauf Aregbesola built in the state capital to drive the state’s economy.
According to the government, traders and other business persons in the state prefer to display their wares in shops located at roadsides while others hawk around the streets.
Addressing journalists in Osogbo on Tuesday at Ayegbaju International Market, the venue for the launch and exposition of made-in-Osun goods and products, Mr Akeem Okunade, the Senior Special Adviser to Governor Aregbesola on Commerce, Cooperative and Industry said about 95 percent of shops and offices at the Ayegbaju international market had been rented and paid for but the market remained desolated as traders shunned it.
Okunade, therefore, appealed to media organisations to assist the government in sensitising market men and women to patronise these world standard markets, saying efforts by government to drive the state economy was being affected negatively by the uncooperative attitude of traders.
He said, “people need to partner with the government to boost the economy of this state. It will surprise you to discover that about 95% of shops have been bought by traders, but they have refused to make use of these shops. These traders and people of the state always blackmail the government when it makes effort to evacuate them from roadsides and other old markets.
” Journalists, please help us to sensitise the people to patronise and use world standard markets in Osun. Traders, leave roadside marketing; stop hawking; bring wares to your shops at our international markets and help us mercahndise.”
Okunade also called on the citizens to patronise made in Osun products in order to boost the economy of the State.
Okunade  said the collective efforts of every citizen would help to ensure economic growth and development of the state.
He further explained  that Made-in-Osun products would be branded with the intention of projecting the state and its economic potentials.
According to him, the desire to mobilise the people in promoting made-in-Osun products and also creating awareness remained sacrosanct.
Okunade said the state had a lot of potentials, which would help to rejuvenate the economy and also make the state an economic hub.
He said government would soon organise conferences and expos to launch made-in-Osun products towards showcasing efforts of small and medium scale enterprises as well as reviving the economy of the state.
While stressing the need for private individuals and corporate organisations to join government in building the state’s economy, Okunade appealed to market men and women  to ensure they occupy the shops they acquired.
Also speaking, a business improvement expert, Dr. Yemisi Obelawo, Â and an entrepreneur, Abimbola Amusan, called for serious collaboration with government to move the state’s economy forward.
Amusan said the conference and expo event coming up in December would serve as a veritable platform, where the best local products and services would be exposed while their providers would be celebrated.
