The Katsina State Government has organised a technical session and statewide town hall meeting for stakeholders engagement on Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council
The meeting which held at the Conference hall of the State’s Secretariat in Katsina aimed at evaluating the state’s progress on business enabling reforms and reinforcing alignment with national economic objectives.
The session brought together key stakeholders from both the public and private sectors with the goal of deepening the implementation of the State Action on Business Enabling Reforms, SABER and promoting inclusive growth through improved regulatory environments at the state level.
Governor Dikko Umaru Radda, represented by the Deputy Governor, Farouk Lawal Jobe described the engagement as part of the state and federal government’s effort to strengthen national economy by supporting businesses and improving how governments work to benefit the citizens.
“This gesture shows the seriousness to which we can face the task of creating a better environment for businesses to thrive.
“We, the good people of Katsina state, have for long understand that the private sector is the real engine room for development, we recognized the role of the organized private sector in creating jobs and strong self reliant economy, we also know the role of government in creating the enabling environment for businesses, especially Small and Medium enterprises to operate successfully,” Jobe stated.
He highlighted some of the commitments of the state government toward actualising the ease of doing business in the state among which include strengthening leadership around the ease of doing business, restructuring business frame work and created Katsina State Enterprises Development Agency to lead and support start ups small and medium enterprises with the tools, resources and capacity needed to flourish and grow.
The Director-General of PEBEC, Mrs Zahrah Mustapha Audu, expressed that states’ policies affect businesses; and partnership between the states and PEBEC would enable the government and stakeholders to adapt, enhance and strengthen the regulatory environment, particularly through the SABER programme.
“The goal of PEBEC is to work with the states and ensure all hands are on deck to support the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to foster a conducive business environment that drives more innovation and growth. The over-riding goal is trade facilitation and the Federal Government of Nigeria is doing a lot like reducing Customs’ inspection of goods to just one day and addressing multiple
taxation, levies and fees, among others.”
At the federal level, PEBEC is pushing for synergy and sharing of report among agencies to avoid multiplicity of inspection.
Meanwhile, the State Commissioner for Commerce and Investment, Yusuf Rabi’u Jirdede applauded PEBEC’s efforts to enhance Nigeria’s economic competitiveness, particularly at the sub-national level.
He reaffirmed Katsina State’s commitment to the national agenda for a business-friendly environment that fosters innovation, productivity, and inclusive growth.
In his opening remark, the Director General, Katsina State Investment Promotion Agency (KIPA), Ibrahim Tukur Jikamshi explained that the state government has embraced the SSBER reform framework as a strategic instrument for state’s transformation.
“The state economic council has taken deliberate step to mainstreaming the reforms into the fabric of state’s institution by establishing a high level reform implementation committee chaired by the deputy governor and comprising key MDA’s and private sectors representatives- working together to deliver result across all reform areas,” Jikamshi added.
He further maintained that the state has persuaded an ambitious home grown reform agenda anchored on transparency, technology and private sector leadership.
“These reforms have not only improved the ease of doing business, they have also restored investor confidence, energized local enterprises and placed Katsina on the map as one of Nigeria’s most reform minded sub — national economies.”
The town hall meeting featured panel discussions where robust sessions were held on how to drive deeper engagement and collaboration towards an improved business environment.
The Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC), an inter-governmental and inter-ministerial one, was set up in July 2016 to remove bureaucratic constraints to doing business in Nigeria and make the country a progressively easier place to start and grow a business.
Hauwa Abu