Abiodun, investors and confidence building mechanism

RECENTLY, Ogun State governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun held a business parley with chief executive officers of industries especially those operating in the state.

The parley, according to Abiodun, was to avail him the opportunity to communicate key policy initiatives of his administration to major players in the private sector and also offer them an opportunity to discuss and agree on areas of strategic collaboration.

The governor used the occasion to assure the business executives of government’s efforts to ease efforts in doing business in the state and how to secure their businesses.

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He told them that government was not pleased with the state of roads in the state, particularly those in the industrial hubs like Agbara-Atan-Ota, Ewekoro-Ifo, Sagamu interchange- Abeokuta and Ilaro- Ibese roads, promising that something urgent will be done address them.

Other roads which Governor Abiodun affirmed to also be in bad shape are the Abeokuta- Ifo- Lagos, Sagamu- Ogijo- Ikorodu and Ijebu- Ode-Epe roads. The CEOs were, whoever, happy to hear that the state government has awarded contract for the construction of Ijebu-Ode-Epe road, while also letting them know that Ogun and Lagos State  governments have approached the Federal Government to hand over the  roads mentioned to  them for reconstruction.

He told them the state is the nation’s industrial capital and as such government is working assiduously towards restructuring and reorganising all sectors of the economy for more opportunities for the people.

The Governor also said government is working on public infrastructure to ensure the ease of doing business, expressing the need to get a buy-in from the Private sector.

“As industries continue to berth in Ogun State and as a private sector person himself, communication is key to the realisation of the goals in all spheres: improvement in our security architecture, trade and commerce, food security, poverty alleviation, and more employment opportunities for our people, the meeting would afford the critical stakeholders in the private sector to interface with government in the collective drive to ensure the task of building our future together,” he added.

No doubt, the parley which could be called «confidence building meeting» will engender a win-win situation and enable both the public and private sectors take advantages provided by many industries in the State to ensure mutually beneficial policies like the one-stop shop through Ogun Investment Promotion Agency, to improve on the ease of doing business index.

More importantly, the interface with active industry players, will positively shape economic growth by enhancing the capacity of small and growing business owners.

Some of the captains including Michael Onafowokan, Jacob Makanjuola, Sola Adeyegbe and Chief Bisi Rodipe who spoke at the parley, 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.

They lauded the governor for being the first to organise sure event, calling for a joint working committee made up of representatives of the state and the private sector for a seamless working relationship.

No doubt, the parley has come at the time when the government is laying a solid foundation for a focused leadership that will be hinged on public private partnership.

It has also come at a time when new investors are looking for a conducive environment to do business and the existing ones looking for how to expand their businesses.

It is hoped that the outcome of the meeting will benefit the investors, government and more importantly, the people of the state.

• Udofia is a staff of the Ogun State Ministry of Information and Strategy, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta.