Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu has assured the business community of his administration’s commitment to engaging and partnering with stakeholders to implement investment-friendly policies and guarantee the security of lives and property.
Sanwo-Olu gave the assurance today while speaking at a Breakfast Meeting with the Lagos Business Community at the Banquet Hall of the State House, Alausa-Ikeja.
The Governor, speaking through his Deputy, Dr. Kadri Obafemi Hamzat said “As a responsive government, we are not resting on our oars and will continue to provide necessary tools and support that would translate into greater opportunities with the overall aim of ensuring sustainable economic and social development of the State”.
He urged the business communities to continue believing in the administration and take advantage of the various policies within the framework of the T.H.E.M.E.S agenda.
While restating his confidence that the business community will sustain its contributions towards creating an environment that is safe and secure for business and leisure, the Governor promised to continue partnering the business community to develop the economy of the State.
He recalled that the present administration, at inception, identified the need to aggressively transform the State’s economy, while meeting the aspirations of all stakeholders, including the business community.
In his words “we developed the T.H.E.M.E.S Agenda to serve as a vital document that will guide our action in the areas of policy initiation, development, implementation and evaluation against set KPIs. The State Government has, therefore, commenced the implementation of the agenda as evident in the various ongoing road rehabilitation and construction projects, infrastructure renewal, investment in inter-modal and integrated transportation system, among others”.
He noted that the Public Works Corporation has, so far, completed the rehabilitation of 138 roads across the State while 131 are ongoing, assuring that the signalisation of roundabouts at five locations in Lagos will improve traffic management significantly.
Earlier, the Commissioner for Commerce, Industry and Cooperatives, Dr. (Mrs.) Lola Akande averred that the government deemed it fit to host the meeting in order to get the buy-in of the business community into its policies, plans and programmes.
She said the event would also avail government first-hand information on issues and concerns that affect the sector to foster the provision of appropriate resolutions.
She stated further that the programme is an indication of the government’s willingness to collaborate and dialogue in a manner that would drive sustainable development and achieve the plan of making Lagos a 21st Century Economy.
The Commissioner disclosed that, as part of efforts to key into the T.H.E.M.E.S agenda, the Ministry is developing a Light Industrial Park at Imota in the Ikorodu Division of the State to facilitate industrial and commercial activities, saying that plans are also underway to develop Enterprise Zones to encourage a cluster system and take businesses away from the streets.
Akande declared that steps are also being taken to float the “Better Business Bureau”, a One-Stop-Shop for business registration and certification as well as a policy on “Made In Lagos” to promote made in Lagos goods.
Present at the event were representatives of the Lagos State Chambers of Commerce and Industry (LACCIMA); Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN); Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture; Organised Private Sector and the Business Community.
