The Ogun state government said it has introduced some reform initiatives that would help reduce bureaucratic bottleneck and improve ease of doing business in the state.
The governor of the state, Dapo Abiodun, stated this at a meeting with chief executive officers (CEOs) of companies in Abeokuta.
Listing some of the reforms, the governor said the establishment of the State Enterprise Development Agency is to strengthen Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and boost their capacities.
He said the Ogun State Investment Promotion Agency, was also set up to provide a one-stop shop and eliminate unnecessary delays in processing necessary documents, while the Public Private Office has also been established to ensure that the state has a template transparent and accessible.
The governor, while calling on Investors in the state to consider indigenes of the state for permanent employment or internship when siting their businesses in the state, said a Bill on Local Content has been sent to the House of Assembly to that effect.
Intimating the investors of his administration’s enablers, Abiodun said good governance, through focused leadership, provision of good road network, to ease movement, provision of adequate security, digitalisation to enable the State make use of Information Communication Technology (ICT) in its educational institutions as well as employment generation, would be vigorously pursued.
The governor said contract for the construction of the Ijebu-Ode-Epe road has been awarded, just as the Ogun and Lagos governments have approached the Federal government for the takeover of the construction of the Sagamu- Ogijo-Ikorodu and the Abeokuta-Ota-Lagos roads.
While decrying the poor condition of roads in the industrial hubs, Abiodun said, “We have identified other roads like the Agbara- Atan-Ota, Ewekoro-Ifo, Sagamu interchange and the Ilaro-Ibeshe roads which are in bad shape and working to put them in good condition.”
He said the State Public Works Agency, charged with the responsibility of fixing township and rural roads, has been established, adding that deplorable roads in the state would soon receive attention.
The governor said the parley was called to enable his government explain its policy thrust and seek their buy-in for the development of the state.
Contributing during the questions and answers session, the CEO, Coleman Cable, Michael Onafowokan, stressed the need for the state government to develop human capital that are employable and easy to access through a portal dedicated to the investors.
On his part, Jacob Makanjuola of WAPCO lauded the governor for organising the meeting.
He called for a joint working committee made up of representatives of the state government and the private sector for a seamless working relationship.
