By Kenneth Jukpor
As part of efforts to resolve the perennial Apapa gridlock, the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC) has met with crucial players from the public and private sectors of the maritime industry.
According to the PEBEC Secretary, Mrs. Jumoke Oduwole, who revealed this in a statement on Thursday last week, the presidential council recently hosted multiple stakeholders’ engagement events in Lagos and Kano State to enhance the ease of doing business in Nigeria.
“The series of events took place last week, kicking off in Kano with a focus on the agribusiness value chain and the impact of regulatory agencies. Progress on the reforms delivered in collaboration with MDAs and the Kano State government were shared for feedback and discussions, to enable PEBEC identify opportunities to inform the agenda for the next cycle of reforms commencing in July 2019” the report said.
“A technical session on Apapa gridlock and call-up system reforms was also organised in Lagos. The session served as a platform for discussions to deliver a gridlock-free Apapa, and enhance the ease of entry and exit into the ports in line with the Trading Across Borders focus area of the Council.
Following the last intervention by His Excellency the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo (SAN) in November 2017, processes were agreed to address the persisting issue but implementation remains a challenge.
“Recording an impressive turnout with strong private and public sector representation, this session signalled a recommitment to ensuring the delivery of a workable resolution, as stakeholders across board engaged and agreed all agencies in the joint task force must be called to order and made to work together,” Oduwole said.
On legislative interventions of the Council, the Lagos forum was also well attended by members of the legal community and other stakeholders, as it shone a spotlight on the legal reforms delivered in several focus areas such as Getting Credit and Starting a Business.
In particular focus were the proposed Omnibus Bill, and the Companies Allied Matters (CAM) Bill — a repeal and re-enactment of the current Companies and Allied Matters Act (CAMA).
The CAM Bill has undergone its first review in 29 years with the support of several members of the public and private sector, including legal firms.
It is anticipated to be one of the most significant legal reform initiatives by any Nigerian government in the last three decades, having passed its third reading in February 2019 and been transmitted by the National Assembly to the President for assent.
Speaking at the Lagos event, the Minister for Industry, Trade and Investment and PEBEC Vice Chairman, Okechukwu Enelamah, applauded the private sector for its cooperation and support towards driving the Ease of Doing Business reforms in the country.
“The vision of this administration is to ensure a more conducive environment where small and big businesses are able to function effectively and with ease. These forums provide an opportunity for us to interact and communicate the progress of reforms while receiving feedback from stakeholders.
“This year, we had a great start with the launch of the Kano Small Claim Court in January, following their launch in Lagos State in 2018 and the positive performance recorded since its inception.
“The anticipated passage of the CAM Bill will be another significant hurdle in our efforts to improve the effectiveness of company law, help businesses grow, and drive our Doing Business ranking as a nation,” the Minister said.
