BEVERLY HILLS, January 25, (THEWILL) – The Acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, on Tuesday noted that various revenue collecting agencies of government were frustrating the
resolve of the Federal Government to re-launch the Nigeria’s economy on a sound footing.
He lamented that government agencies delay the registration of Small and Medium Enterprises, SMEs, thereby stifling efforts aimed at creating more jobs for the people.
The Acting President said, “Nigerians complain about how practically difficult it is to get approval on practically everything when I toured the nation with the support of USAID.
“But almost every stand I went, I heard complains about how it was so difficult to get approvals for practically anything. I was frankly taken back on that occasion because practically every point we went we heard the same complaint. We also went to Kano on one of our social intervention programmes and it was the same problem, same issues.
“Some small manufacturers even said they had to engage consultants to take them through approval processes and it still took over a year to get approval from some agencies.
“Just yesterday, at the quarterly business forum with the organised private sector, one of the participants again complained very loudly about the near impossibility of getting approvals for manufacturing something.
“The complain was so loud that everybody in the room agreed with this lady.”
“This was for me a very disturbing finding and very disturbing development because it meant that our agencies are yet to buy in to our major plan of economic recovery plan which is to make it easier to do business in Nigeria.”
This came as the Federal Government started evaluating various options that would eliminate hitches in the Nigerian business climate. It was stressed that there must be consequences for any social misconduct.
This decision was taken at the monthly meeting of the Presidential Enabling Business Council, PEBC, which was presided over by Osinbajo at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
The council considered different options that would enable them make decisions on the nation’s ports, starting a business, construction permits, registering property, getting credit, trading across the borders and enforcement of contracts.
While launching the MSME Clinics, designed to sensitize operators of Small Scale Enterprises, SMEs in Nigeria on the best business strategies and assist them financially to grow their businesses in Abuja, Osinbajo said government agencies were supposed to be facilitators of SMEs.
He pointed out that the programme had the backing of President Muhammadu Buhari, the United States government and other key partners.
The Acting President also disclosed that the policy would be replicated across the 36 states of the federation, starting with his visit to Abia State on Thursday.
He explained that the whole idea was to signal support to MSMEs and to find out problems they are battling with.
