Date: 2020-11-27

Kwara State Government has inaugurated a 12-person Ease of Doing Business Council to drive its efforts to lift bureaucratic bottlenecks that hurt businesses as well as attract new investments to the state.

The setting up of the Council is one of the recommendations of the Ease of Doing Business Report 2020 approved by Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, Deputy Governor Kayode Alabi said on Thursday as he inaugurated the body which is chaired by the Head of Service Mrs Modupe Susan Oluwole.

Other members of the Council are: commissioner for finance Florence Oyeyemi; commissioner for enterprise Abdulwahab Agbaje; commissioner for works Engr Rotimi Iliasu; Group Managing Director Harmony Holdings Limited Abdullahi Abdulmajeed (Secretary); executive chairman of the Kwara State Internal Revenue Service Mrs Folashade Omoniyi; Special Assistant on Geographic Information System Abdulmutollib Shittu; chief press secretary to the Governor Rafiu Ajakaye; Technical Assistant to the Governor of Investment Kabir Shagaya; Director of Economic Affairs (representative of the SSG); and chairman of the Kwara State Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mining and Agriculture (KWACCIMA) Dr Ahmed Raji.

Alabi said the council would identify and eliminate all constraints to the growth of business, especially small and medium enterprises through holistic reforms.

He said AbdulRazaq is unhappy with the rating of the state in the country's ease of doing ranking and is determined to turn the page with reforms of various processes.

The state's efforts would target the four main areas of business premise registration, registration of properties (land acquisition for investment), enforcing contracts, and dealing with construction permit, according to documents from the council.

"Today Kwara State Government under the leadership of His Excellency the Governor has taken a bold step to achieve the laudable objective of identifying and eliminating all constraints to the growth of Business, especially SMEs through holistic reforms," Alabi said.

He said the council is modelled after the Business practices of the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council.

"As you are all aware, Kwara State Ease of Doing Business Report 2020 recommended the use of Digital Resources, Geographic Information System(GIS) Data and Information Technology to drive business activities of selected MDAs that are pertinent to attracting investments and creating an enabling business environment in the State. This is to reverse the not so friendly business climate reported for Kwara State in the 2018 World Bank Ease of Doing Business report," Alabi said.

"The responsibilities of your council as the apex authority includes driving the Presidential Enabling Business reforms policy in the State, in addition to overseeing the implementation of the State Ease of Doing Business report."

Alabi explained that the council will also be responsible for the creation of the State Ease of Doing Business Reform framework and charter as well as see to its diligent implementation among other critical activities required to enhance the enabling business climate of the state.

Oluwole, for her part, promised that members of committee would justify the confidence reposed in them by quickly improving the ease of doing business in Kwara and attract more investors into the state.

Modupe Joel

Chief Press Secretary to the Deputy Governor

November 26th, 2020