Nigeria @ 60: Trade expert tasks govt agencies on ease of doing business

Kayode, who is also the President of Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI), made the appeal on Tuesday in Abuja in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
NAN reports that World Bank rank economies according to many criteria but the most important set of criteria is the EODB, while high EODB ranking indicates a regulatory climates that is conducive for local businesses.
Nigeria presently ranks 131 out of 190 countries on the World Bank EODB index moving up 15 places from 146th position.
Kayode said though the present government has been trying to improve on the EODB gradually before it came to a halt, even when it was obvious that previous governments had failed.
He also said that the scheme had been identified as a key area of weakness in the present administration due to the inability of relevant government agencies to facilitate it.
The ACCI chairman described as poor the services rendered by government agencies such as the Nigerian Custom Service, Nigerian Port Authorities, Airport Authorities and Federal Inland Revenue Service among others.
“But the key issue is that it is government agencies and departments that are responsible for ensuring EODB.
“Why should it be difficult for a government that has realised that it is its own agencies that are making it difficult for ease of doing business.
“There is a lot of conflict in the way their mandates have been put and interpreted.
“There are also unbelievable roadblocks and administrative bottlenecks caused by these government agencies and departments.
“And the same government has tried to stop them, but there is a lot of push back from these agencies,” he said.
Kayode listed some of the impediments as cumbersome process of contract procurement, stringent business registration processes and unnecessary documents demands and requirements from these agencies.
The trade and commercial arbitration expert, however, urged the federal government to be very consistent and adopt clarity in implementation of its policies to ensure conducive business operations.
He further said that government should endeavor to do monitoring and evaluation to enable proper implementation to reform its business environment for greater efficiency. (NAN)