COMMUNIQUE ISSUED AT THE END OF THE ECONOMIC SUMMIT OF THE FORUM FOR NATION BUILDERS & SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT HELD AT AURORA EVENTS CENTRE, OSOGBO ON FRIDAY 18TH DECEMBER, 2015.

The Forum commend the effort of the Governor of the state of Osun,Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola in his bid to transform the state and resolve as follow:                     

1. That there is urgent need to shift the state's focus from the monthly federal  allocation to agriculture and tourism.  

2. That the state government,as a matter of urgency,revamp the moribund farm settlements.

3. That the settlements  can be rebranded and upgraded into Agricultural Industrial Centres to be clustered in a community of 5000 people who are predominantly inclined to farming.

4. That these Agricultural centres be fashioned after the Israeli Kibbutz System.

5. That there should be crop mapping that will be made according to crop niche areas.

6. That there should be mass production of crops with emphasis on production, processing and export.

7. That the state government and indigenous entrepreneurs should work together on breeds that will attract international acceptability.

8. That there is need to ensure agriculture extension services are implemented  to educate conservative farmers to imbibe modern method of farming.

9. That the focus of government in Agriculture should be for both production  (consumption) and industrialisation(employment)

10. That government should provide lands and other incentives that will make agriculture attractive.

11. That the Agriculture centres should have state-of-the-art amenities that hitherto entice rural dwellers to cities:internet, cable TV, night life etc. 

12. That government must provide conducive and serene environment for tourism to thrive.

13. That it is important for the state government to identify people planting cassava and other agricultral produce in the 31 local government in Osun State.

14. That it is also important for state government to be sincere to food production in Osun State, especially the local consumption.

15. That the state government should review tree planting project, assess the success and work something real out of it.

On Tourism, the Forum resolve as follows:

1. That our Tourism Center should be seen as our cultural heritage, treated so and upgraded to possible standard of attraction, so that it could bring good revenue to Government.

2. That our history as black man promotes Grooves and Religious centers in Ile-Ife and Osun State principally. Government of Osun should aid our traditional religions, encourage some sites, because Africans in Diaspora are so dedicated to their ancestral path, Millions of them visits Ile-Ife, Osun Osogbo, which is a ready made means of employment, IGR and beautification of our environment.

3. That tourist sites be developed with accommodation facilities(i.e Hotels).        

4. That the state government should partner with private investors to build hotels and relaxation centres on Build -Operate-and-Transfer(BOT) basis.

5. That our artists should be immortalized in putting up Galeria that fosters preservation, promotion of such Art works of Twin 77, Duro Ladiipo and other places to be visited for Dramatic and Literature prowess of our living and heroes past in that field.

6. That there should be production of brochure and data collection of the tourist centres in Osun, and  be distributed to embassies, hotels, business centres and other strategic places across the country.

7. That the tourist centres be categorised into A B C. The tourist sites under category A are those that are major, popular and in need of serious development activities, including aggressive publicity. The category B tourist centres are those that need minor infrastructural development and or renovation. The category C are those to be left as they are but in need of publicity. The category A tourist centres are: Olumirin Waterfalls, Erin-Ijesa Along Ilesa-Akure Expressway, Erin-Ijesa, Imesi-Ile Mysterious Caves and Rocks, Imesi-Ile, Osun Osogbo Sacred Grove, Osogbo, Ayinkunlugba Waterfalls, Oke-Ila, Oke-Iragbiji Shrine and Caves, Iragbiji and Ilie Dam, Ilie. 

8. That some prayer mountains in the state, like Oke Baba Abiye in Ede and the prayer mountain in Ikoyi could also serve as good tourist sites by developing infrastructures and creating a toll fare for revenue generation.

9. That the state government should beautify each of the tourist centres with state colour and logo.

10. That the government should launch a one week tourist programme for the state, which should come up in the first week of August every year.

11. That the government should create an independent  Situation Office to anchor tourism development.