Ebun Francis with agency report|| Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC) chaired by Acting President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN has approved a 60-day national action plan to push through short term reforms.
Prof. Osinbajo, while addressing journalists at end of the Council’s meeting at the State House, assured that the Council will within the stipulated period focus on areas that will not only deliver tangible changes for SMEs but also help improve Nigeria’s entire business environment within the shortest possible time.
At the meeting were Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki and Speaker of the Federal House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara.
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.’’
According to him, the participation of National Assembly’s leadership at Tuesday’s meeting was to “work together, trying 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.
He 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.“
The acting President said the expected outcome of the new plan will be noticeable in improvements in all the key areas of government that facilitate trade and commerce.
”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.’’
”The set timelines in the action plan were to ensure that we are not just speaking about these things without necessarily tying ourselves down to specific timelines.’’
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.
