By Sylvester Iloba
ASABA/Nigeria: As part of its drive towards promoting a business friendly environment, the Delta State Government (DTSG) has keyed into the Ease of Doing Business programme as stipulated by the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC).
The Chairman, Delta State Investments Development Agency (DIDA), Mr. Paul Nmah, stated this at the Inaugural Meeting of the Ease of Doing Business Committee (EODBC) and Sensitisation of Focal Persons, held at the Unity Hall, Government House, Asaba.
According to Mr. Nmah, Delta State Government through DIDA, which is its investment promotion agency, had been working closely with relevant MDAs and stakeholders to achieve set goals.
He said that the focus was to get the business environment working and friendly through extensive collaboration with all organs of Government charged with the responsibilities of regulations and certifications.
Mr. Nmah commended Sen. Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa for introducing numerous programmes and policies geared towards making Delta State the Investors’ haven.
He stated further that because of the enabling environment existing in the state, DIDA had attracted many investments, like the Asaba Ultra-Modern Mechanic Village and Auto Parts, Modern Trailer/Tanker Park at Ekpan, Floating Liquefied Natural Gas, Warri, Stallion Auto Keke Tricycle Assembly Plant, Okpanam, Delta Rest Park, Umunede/Emuhu, Delfrasco Tower Manufacturing & Testing Industrial Fabrication Hot Dip Galvanising Facility, Issele-Uku, Songhai Delta Amukpe, among others.
The Director General of DIDA, Chief Lucky Oghene-Omoru, on his part, said that the focal persons were selected from relevant MDAs, like ministries of Energy, Agriculture & Natural Resources, Lands & Survey, Environment, Oil and Gas, Justice, Trade and Investment, Transport.
Others, according to him, included DMSME Dev. Agency, Bureau of Job and Wealth Creation and the Delta State Internal Revenue Service.
Chief Oghene-Omoru stated that the major reason of having focal persons from the key MDAs was to establish a network that would reduce the timeline during which business owners or investors could get information on how to obtain permits, licences, certificates and other requisite documents.
He said that the Ease of Doing Business Index was designed to measure how government policies and regulations directly affected the business operating environment through the following activities : Starting a Business, Obtaining Permits & Licences, Registering Properties, Paying Taxes and Enforcing Contracts, etc.
The DG called on the EODBC to ensure that there was a structure in place for the purpose of monitoring the EODB process in order to keep the cost of doing business at low and competitive levels.
The DIDA Director One Stop Shop, Ms Faith Odeareduo, harped on the importance of the focal persons and the EODBC to attach seriousness to the Ease of Doing Business matter.
She emphasised that it was a serious business, noting that it was a Federal Government mandate through PEBEC of which many states of the federation had already commenced the programme in their respective states.
Ms Odeareduo however said she was optimistic that Delta State after commencing the programme would avail itself of its benefits at creating a friendly business environment for investments to thrive in the state.
She called for all hands to be on deck and said that modalities would be put in place immediately towards ensuring that all relevant MDAs and the organised private sector came together to achieve set goals.
In their various remarks, representatives of NASSI, Mr. Princewill Ojei, Ministry of Justice, Mr. Moses Agweree, SMEDAN, Mr. Leke Babalola and NAFDAC, Mr. Ulakpa Monday appreciated the Delta State Government for keying into the Ease of Doing Business programme.
They said that the major challenge of the MSMEs was funding and encouraged them to endeavour to key into the various windows of financing options available for the MSMEs.
They noted that already there were existing policies and structures that had been put in place by some MDAs to ensure and promote the ease of doing business in the state.
