Ebun Francis || Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, Nigeria’s Acting President on Thursday signed three Executive Orders aimed at boosting the ease of doing Business in Nigeria.
The core objective of the order is, ”“the promotion of transparency and efficiency in the business environment, designed to facilitate ease of doing business in Nigeria; support for local content in public procurement by the government, and timely submission of annual budgetary estimates by all statutory and non-statutory agencies”.
The three executive orders signed by the Acting President give specific instructions on a number of policy issues affecting:
*the promotion of transparency and efficiency in the business environment designed to facilitate the ease of doing business in the country,
*timely submission of annual budgetary estimates by all statutory and non-statutory agencies, including companies owned by the Federal Government and
*support for local contents in public procurement by the Federal Government.
Ahead of the signing, Mr. Osibanjo held an interactive session at the old Banquet Hall of Presidential Villa with all relevant government officials, including ministers, permanent secretaries and heads of departments and agencies among others where he said that government will work out incentives for performance even as it builds a reward system that punishes malfeasance.
He said, “I agree that a system of rewarding performance, and punishing malfeasance is key. we must work out incentive schemes even as we tighten up sanctions regimes.
“We hit 70 percent quickly on the 60 days of doing business target because of the cooperation of all the agencies like the ministry of interior, immigrations, customs etc and that is why the remaining 30percent we will also achieve and deliver. I will hold myself accountable to it and I will also hold you accountable.
“Usually we blame the system. But the system is men and women, not machines. So we can and must reform it. These proposed executive orders present a unique opportunity to perform.
“Ladies and gentlemen let us perform. The President has laid out a cornerstone policy of this administration…we must grow what we eat and make what we use. The President again enunciated this principle in the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan…Buy Nigerian, Use Nigerian.
“So we must now insist that at State banquets we eat and drink Nigerian.”