By Joe Adedeji, Ilorin
Kwara State must no longer be the lowest ranked business climate in the North Central Nigeria, the governor, Mallam AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq has said.
The governor was speaking at a forum organized by the Presidential Enabling Business Environment (PEBEC) for the North Central Region but hosted by the State.
Kwara State that used to be the business hub of big industries like Nigerian Sugar Company, Bacita; Nigerian Paper Mill, Jebba, Tate and Lyle Sugar Company, Ilorin; Nigerian Yeast and Alcohol Company among others had gone to industrial ground zero in recent years.
Speaking at the presidential forum with the theme; ‘Ease of Doing Business’, the governor who was represented by his Deputy; Kayode Alabi said he was resolved to end the negative narrative about his state.
He told the Forum that already, he had put in place, concrete steps aimed at making business transactions in Kwara State a lot easier and faster to attract investors.
The Governor expressed dismay at a World Bank report in 2018 which ranked Kwara 30th out of 37 states including the FCT — and the lowest in the North Central — in the ease of doing business.
His words; “On the national average, according to the report, Kwara ranked the lowest among its peers in the North Central. In terms of starting a business, Kwara ranked 7th out of the seven states sampled in the zone, including the Federal Capital Territory (Abuja).
“In dealing with construction permit, we ranked 4th out of seven; in registering of properties, Kwara ranked 6th out of seven; and in terms of enforcing contract, Kwara ranked 7th out of the seven states/places,” AbdulRazaq said.
“This was the stark reality of our state — and it only confirmed our position that this state was practically run aground, notwithstanding the propaganda.
“We have therefore decided to put these figures in perspective not necessarily to brood over the past but to challenge ourselves on the need to do things differently as we get set to rewrite the story of our state. Our officials are to note that this narrative must change going forward. Kwara must reclaim its glory!”
He added however that many steps are already being taken by his administration to turn the page, citing the ongoing reforms at the Kwara State Internal Revenue Services (KW-IRS) and the efforts to run e-governance which have begun with the strictly online administration of students’ bursary and upcoming take off of e-learning from the Kwara State Library.
“Apart from security and peaceful environment which we enjoy, this administration believes that human capital and infrastructural development constitute important incentives for any investor as they contribute to significantly reducing transactional costs.
“To this extent, our first budget in 2020 will focus more on basic education, healthcare, and road network, among other things. We are also irrevocably committed to building strong institutions to drive growth.
“Kwara means business and our target is to make our state one of Nigeria’s friendliest in the ease of doing business.
“We are seriously working on e-governance whereby you can be anywhere in the world and transact business with the government or anybody in Kwara State” the governor further disclosed.
The Presidential Special Adviser on Ease of Doing Business, Dr. Jumoke Oduwole while speaking at the ocassion said they have done a lot within the last three years to ease the business environment in Nigeria, which made the country to move many inches up the ladder in global ranking.
She charged the North Central zone, which she called a vital trade corridor in Nigeria, to break some barriers against SMEs by implementing reforms already recommended by PEBEC which in itself has carried out over 140 reforms.
