The Gov. Oluwarotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State Government, has promised to provide the enabling environment required to encourage investment with a view to developing the nation’s capital market.
He made the promise on Friday in Akure while declaring open the Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC) one-day enlightenment programme on “E-Dividend and Investment Initiative at Developing the Nigeria Capital Market.”
Akeredolu, who was represented by Mr Ifedayo Abegunde, Secretary to the State Government, said that people would be encouraged to invest “when there is economic growth in the land.”
“Also, the political climate will definitely remain stable enough to enable stakeholders recover their investment within a reasonable period.
“As we are all aware, investor’s interest is being centered on three broad objectives, namely: Income; Growth and Safety. We will ensure these three objectives are not missing in our dear state.
“The objective of this enlightenment is to give alternative economic condition to civil servants and other stakeholders to decide the best time to buy or sell shares/securities,” the governor said.
He explained that the enlightenment campaign would also grant opportunity to prospective investors to be acquainted with the general principle and policy of “buy low and sell high”.
“Therefore, I will like to appeal to you all to give this short enlightenment campaign the serious attention it deserves so that we would have an improved, effective and quality investment initiatives in the state.
“It will also give us the opportunity to put in our best to make sure that state derives maximum benefits from investment opportunities in Nigeria,” Akeredolu said
Earlier, Mr Edward Okolo, Zonal Director, SEC, said that the essence of the programme was to enlighten the people of Ondo State on e-dividend processes and the opportunities in the capital market.
Okolo, who expressed satisfaction on the turnout of participants, urged people of the state to key into the capital market “because it is a platform of growth and prosperity.”
According to him, the e-dividend will afford people of the state opportunity to bring their moribund companies into the market, and this will in turn provide employment for the teeming unemployed youths in the state.
He said that the gathering would not only afford participants the opportunity to be well informed about investment in shares and stocks, but it would also help individuals to do the needful whenever opportunity opens for investment.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that participants were drawn from major stakeholders in the Capital Market, including civil servants, representatives of investment companies, representatives of Ondo State Chamber of Commerce and Industries and representatives of Ondo State Cooperative Thrifts.
Others are agricultural societies, representatives of finance houses, representatives of Nigeria para military, representatives of major market women associations and the National Union of Road Transport Workers.