OTCI ENGAGES MDAS, STAKEHOLDERS ON EASE OF DOING BUSINESS
The Lagos State Office of Transformation, Creativity and Innovation (OTCI) has met with representatives of Ministries, Departments and Agencies as well as stakeholders to highlight the steps taken to enhance the Ease of Doing Business within focal agencies of the State Government.
Addressing participants at a forum on Tuesday in Alausa, Ikeja, the Director-General of the Office, Mr. Toba Otusanya, said that the event was organised to further strengthen the already existing relationship between business owners and the State Government.
He said that the present administration has realised that it cannot achieve its vision of making Lagos a 21st Century Economy without adequately promoting the Ease of Doing Business, hence its commitment to taking deliberate steps to create a more conducive atmosphere for business activities to thrive.
Emphasising the importance of ease of doing business to investors and the government, the Director-General said that with a robust policy in place, potential investors can easily access business information to know which country is most suitable and friendly for investment with a guarantee of maximum returns.
Otusanya stated that in promoting its T.H.E.M.E.S agenda, Lagos is also focusing attention on its healthcare delivery, transportation, security, transparency and accessibility, information access, land issues, skills and labour among critical areas that can contribute to the ratings on ease of doing business.
In his words: “We decided to organise this forum because we want our stakeholders, especially those that interact with the regulatory agencies of government, to be directly involved in our policy formulation processes such that their concerns and feedback can be incorporated as part of our reforms and policies”.
Also speaking at the event, the Permanent Secretary, Office of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Mrs. Abosede George, described the stakeholders’ engagement as very crucial, stating that the outcome will serve as a basis for a fair assessment of the efforts of the State Government’s processes in the Ease of Doing Business at the national level and beyond.
Mrs. George maintained that the Y2021 ratings of Lagos State in the Ease of Doing Business at the national level did not reflect the laudable initiatives put in place by the focal agencies as the various reforms implemented to attract investments were not highlighted and acknowledged.
She said that the need to change the narrative and make Lagos occupy its rightful position among other States in the country necessitated the stakeholders’ engagement to enlighten the public about what the government is doing to ease bottlenecks associated with business activities for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs).
The Permanent Secretary listed reforms in the area of automated billing and payment of taxes (e-taxes), Geographic Information Systems (e-GIS), E-Permit for physical planning activities, Land use reforms, one-stop office, the establishment of SDGs and Public-Private Partnership (PPP) as some of the already existing reforms that should be embraced by relevant stakeholders in their business relations with the government.
In her contribution, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development, Engr. Abiola Kosegbe, affirmed that an Operative Development Guide highlighting the approved usage of land in different parts of the State, either residential or commercial, is available for stakeholders and clients as part of the Ease of Doing Business initiatives.
Mrs. Kosegbe spoke after a detailed presentation by a representative of the Physical Planning Ministry, noting that the time frame for processing physical planning applications has been reduced due to the automation of some processes, just as she gave an assurance that a fully automated process would be unveiled in due course.
In the same being, the State Surveyor-General, Surveyor Olutomi Sangowawa, explained that technology has been introduced in the processes of land surveying and GIS mapping to improve turnaround time and also curb incidents of clients that attempt to cut corners by providing inaccurate information to secure documents.
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PIX: Mr. Toba Otusanya, the Director-General of the Office of Transformation, Creativity and Innovation (OTCI)
