Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has assured the private sector of the continued support of the federal government to enable it to carry on with its important role in the economy.
Speaking on Thursday while receiving a delegation from the Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA) led by its Director-General, Mr. Timothy Olawale, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, he said the policy of interactions between government and the organized private sector was essential.
Osinbajo noted that the Federal Government will continue to explore ways to improve the economy through its policies and reforms.
He said: “Our interaction is a very important one because it is really part of our policy as a government to ensure private sector participation in the economy. We think that the private sector has a very important role. For us, the private sector is essential to the growth of the economy so we must continue to encourage the private sector in every possible way.”
ALSO READ: Nigeria’s agric sector is underperforming ― Minister
The Vice President further assured that matters of concern that require government attention will be decisively tackled through the Ease of Doing Business initiatives to improve the business environment and ensure the growth of local businesses.
“We want to continuously engage NECA and the private sector because it is central to what we are doing in respect to the economy,” he added.
In his remarks earlier, the NECA DG commended Osinbajo for his leadership, noting that the reelection of President Muhammadu Buhari and the Vice was an outcome of their sterling performance in the first term.
Olawale said the NECA has actively supported and championed government’s efforts at job creation, while he commended “the giant strides made by the Buhari administration in fostering an environment that is hospitable for businesses to thrive through the Ease of Doing Business initiatives.”
He added: “We specifically recognize the passion with which you (VP) have driven the relationship between government and organized businesses in the past four years through your interventions and leadership that you have provided, which have translated into the activities of PEBEC, the ERGP and the Presidential Quarterly Business Forum, which you preside over.
“We have no doubt that the solid foundation that has been laid in the first four years would be built upon and Nigeria would be better for it.”
NECA is the umbrella organization of employers in the organised private sector of Nigeria, providing the forum for the Government to consult with private sector employers, especially on socio-economic and labour policy issues.
and then