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All is now set for the ninth edition of the Lagos Corporate Assembly, a periodic engagement session tagged ‘BOS Meets with Business Community,’ during which the Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu meets leaders of the organised private sector.
The governor will meet them to discuss business-related issues such as infrastructure development, business regulations, MSME challenges, taxes, revenue, security, transportation, traffic management, and technology.
A statement issued late Sunday night by the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Gbenga Omotoso said this edition which comes up on Tuesday, July 9, 2024, with the theme: ‘Unpacking Barriers to Ease of Doing Business, Accelerating Business Growth’ would be held at Eko Convention Centre, Eko Hotel & Suites in Victoria Island.
Omotoso said speakers for the event included eminent personalities like the Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Dr. Olayemi Cardoso; Special Adviser to the President on Ease of Doing Business and Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC), Dr. Jumoke Oduwole; Director-General, National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, and the Director-General, Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), Dr. Ifeanyi Chukwunonso Okeke.
Others included the Executive Chairman, Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Mr. Zacch Adedeji; the Comptroller-General, Nigeria Customs Service, B. A. Adeniyi, and the Chairman, Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), Kolade Alabi.
“The event will be hosted by Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, and will have members of the Lagos State Executive Council, Permanent Secretaries, and Heads of relevant Departments and Agencies of government in attendance. Others will include, Speaker, Lagos State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa, and Chairman, Committee on Commerce, Cooperatives, Trade & Investment, Hon. Mustaina Abiodun Tobun,” he said.
Speaking on the importance of the event, the Commissioner for Commerce, Cooperative, Trade and Investment, Mrs. Folashade Ambrose-Medebem said that this edition of the Corporate Assembly is a fulfilment of the promise made by Governor Sanwo-Olu at the last edition to dedicate the upcoming periodic assembly to unpacking the challenges that organisations doing business in Lagos encounter with sovereign institutions of the Federal Government.
“Part of the strategic intents of this edition is to see how issues revolving around prevailing complaints related to multiple taxation, levies, infrastructure challenges, and regulatory burdens can be transparently discussed,” she said.
In addition, she also said that the assembly provides a platform for presenting and addressing challenges and issues relating to doing business in Lagos, with clear directives often given to the responsible MDAs for their resolution.
This approach, she added, has made the assembly a vital tool for enhancing cooperation and problem-solving between the government and the business community.
Mrs. Ambrose-Medebem restated the State government’s commitment to improving the ease of doing business, even amid the global economic challenges.
“As a responsive and responsible government, the Babajide Sanwo-Olu administration recognises that ease of doing business is key to economic growth and development, and we are working assiduously towards improving this daily, through the implementation of various forms of reforms. Over the years, we have prioritised the provision of a friendly environment that would support existing businesses while attracting more Foreign Direct Investment (FDI)”, she said.
On the agenda, she disclosed that this year’s session will, amongst other things, feature presentations by the various State and Federal agencies and a Q&A interactive session.
On his part, the State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Gbenga Omotoso said, “this Lagos Corporate Assembly has become a staple event, held periodically, and has helped in strengthening relationship between the State Government and the Organized Private Sector (OPS).”
He also disclosed that previous editions have recorded significant achievements such as granting water licensing concessions to the Organised Private Sector, including a five-year arrears waiver and a 75% permit waiver by the State government.
