OSUN State Governor, Mr Rauf Aregbesola, on Thursday said the RLG Adulawo Technology City, a public-private partnership (PPP) initiative between the state and RLG Global, a technological device manufacturing company, is helping to power the state's job creation drive.

Speaking at the RLG product discovery day held at the expansive tech city located on the Ilesa-Akure Expressway in Osun State on Thursday, Aregbesola said the giant strides taken by the company had put to shame the contrary expectations of naysayers who saw the vision as an election gimmick that would fizzle into oblivion once recently concluded federal and state elections were over.

He said the challenge the state was facing is temporary, adding that his administration would fulfil all its promises to the people of the state. The occasion also saw the launch of a new range of innovative products by the company.

Describing the multi-million dollar initiative as a historic monument of the power of vision, the governor revealed that the tech city had, in the last one year, provided direct employment to 150 Osun indigenes and was poised, within the next phase of its operations, to provide employment to 1,500 salespersons who would man kiosks and other sale outposts for RLG products.

Aregbesola revealed that workers at the RLG plant were graduates of the Osun Youth Empowerment Technology (OYESTECH) trained by RLG and were the ones who assembled the beautiful products displayed by the tech company.

"This plant, a public-private arrangement between RLG Ghana and our state, is the biggest in Africa and the first of its kind in Nigeria.

"Given the potential of the electronic market in Nigeria, a firm like this is a necessity. "When fully operational, it will be able to assemble all kinds of electronic gadgets from mobile phones, LCD televisions, desktop computers, laptops, palmtops, tablets, air-conditioners, refrigerators, deep freezers and electronic device imaginable," Aregbesola said.

He lauded the role played by telecoms giant, Airtel Nigeria, in the development and progression of the RLG-Osun PPP vision, while he thanked the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Airtel Nigeria, Mr Segun Ogunsanya, for "boldly identifying with RLG and agreeing to do business with us."

Ogunsanya, in his remarks, said "it's a testimony of what we believe in at Airtel. We believe in supporting local content.

"Two to three years ago, most of the phones purchased in Nigeria were imported and labour was transferred out of the country, but with the establishment of Adulawo Technology City, locally assembled and manufactured phones can be consumed locally.

"We don't have a choice but to support that which is manufactured locally. We believe firmly in this project to create more jobs and to create more knowledge."