Plateau business community lauds Lalong for improved ease of doing business

By Golok Nanmwa,Jos

Business Community in Plateau state on Thursday lauded the Governor of the state, Hon. Simon Lalong for creating enabling environment for business to thrive in the state, by his business-friendly policies, which has led to improved ease of Doing Business (EDB).

The community gave the accolades when the Governor hosted its members to a dinner at the bouquet hall ‎of Government House, Jos, organised by the trio of Plateau Investment and Property Corporation (PIPC), Plateau State Small and Medium Enterprise Development Agency (PLASMEDA), and German International Company (GIZ).

The governor, who was encouraged by the business reports in the state, expressed confidence that, with the various measures being put in place by his government, the growing EDB in the state will even improve, and compete favourably with other leading states in Nigeria.

The Governor said that with the application for the establishment of Police Mobile barracks at Gashit, a trouble spot in Barkin Ladi Local Government Area of the state, cattle rustling that has been one major cause of crisis in the state will be tackled as all rustling routes will now be adequately blocked.

He added that with peace in the state and good weather to complement, investors would naturally take advantage of the many business opportunities to invest in the state.

Members of a 5-man panel made up of Commissioners for Justice, Commerce and Lands/Survey, Chairman of Plateau Revenue Board, and Director of PLASMEDA, each took turns to x-ray how the attractive feat of improved EDB was achieved in the last three and half years.

While disclosing that Alternative Dispute Resolution‎ through the establishment of mechanism for seamless settlement of business disputes was the secret, the Justice Commissioner added that. “This is fast and less costly.”

He said that the state was training Mediators to build up a pool of resource persons to draw from, when the need arises, adding that the state was building Mediation Centres for such purposes.

On his part, the Lands Commissioner Festus Fantuer revealed that unlike in the past when issuance of Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) was bulged down by several bottlenecks, with the new administration, over 2000 Certificate of Occupancy have gone out to land owners in recent days, with 50 percent discounts and special waivers for major companies to make it bearable for them.

The Commerce Commissioner, who identified the recently concluded Trade Fair‎ as a clear testimony of the return peace in the state, said the recent establishment of One-Structure in the state, in which all business agencies are domicile in one place, registration of businesses has been made much easier.

He joined the Chairman of the state Revenue Board to laud the state government for passing laws that abolished duplication of task, a development he said has helped in task compliance, there by helping to generate more revenue for the state.

Representative of GIZ, Barrister Akin Amowere, who was encouraged by the improved ease of doing business ‎in the state, pledged more support for Plateau and its business community.

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Plateau business community lauds Lalong for improved ease of doing business