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Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo FG adopts 60-day national action plan on ease of doing business
- Acting President Osinbajo joined by Saraki, Dogara, at 6th PEBEC meeting
The Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC) chaired by Acting President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN has displayed commitment in creating a conducive business environment in Nigeria, by approving a 60-day national action plan to carry-out short term reforms.
The Acting President, who addressed journalists after the Council’s meeting attended today by the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki and Speaker of the Federal House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Yakubu Dogara at the State House, said that within the stipulated period the Council will focus on areas that will not only deliver tangible changes for SMEs but also help improve Nigeria’s entire business environment soonest.
According to Prof. Osinbajo, “we are trying to improve the business environment in three broad respects; the entry and exit of goods; entry and exit of persons into Nigeria, and then general government transparency- transparency and efficiency in government agencies, parastatals.
“The whole idea is that we are able to provide an environment for those who want to do business in Nigeria- local businesses and of course, foreign businesses”
The Acting President said the participation of National Assembly’s leadership at Tuesday’s meeting was to work together in order to improve the business environment in Nigeria.’’
Prof. Osinbajo said the renewed synergy with the legislature was to ensure that all the necessary legislations relating to the reforms were passed by the National Assembly.
The Acting President said, “There are pieces of legislations that we are also looking forward to seeing. We are working together with the National Assembly to ensure that these pieces of legislations are passed”
He added that the expected outcome of the new plan would be noticeable in improvements in all the key areas of government that facilitate trade and commerce.
According to Acting President Osinbajo, “there are improvements which we expect to see at our ports. Improvements at our airports, improvements at the seaports, improvements in immigration visas, etc., so, there are quite a few things that we have seen and which we will continue to look at.”
Meanwhile, the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki stressed the importance of the executive/legislature collaboration in creating a conducive business environment for both local and foreign businesses in Nigeria.
The Senate President, who commended the efforts of the Executive, said the National Assembly would look into some of the issues that it could to improve the business environment in the country.
The Senate President and Speaker of the House of Representatives led the leadership of the National Assembly to the expanded meeting of the PEBEC.
Also present at the meeting were federal ministers who are members of the Council including the Attorney General and Justice Minister, Abubakar Malami, SAN; Industry, Trade and Investment Minister, Dr. Okey Enelamah; Power, Works and Housing Minister, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, SAN; and the Information and Culture Minister, Alhaji Lai Mohammed.
Other members of the Council included the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service, Col. Hammed Ali (Rtd), the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Immigration Service, Muhammed Babandede and the Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority, Hadiza Bala Usman, attended the meeting.
