Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State
Irked by the groans and lamentations of Nigerians on the daily rising cost cum hardships consumers are going through as a result of sharp practices of petrol dealers, Ogun State has taken steps to arrest the exploitations and high handedness of fuel retailers in the state.
To this end, the State government has set up a Monitoring Committee to fish out fuel dealers employing illicit methods to shortchange consumers in the state.
The state government has therefore warned petrol stations across the state against engaging in unethical practices of adjusting Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) meters to unsuspecting customers, as such actions would henceforth attract heavy sanctions.
The Commissioner for Transportation, Engr. Olugbenga Dairo who gave the warning during a meeting with members of the State’s Monitoring Committee, at Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, also stressed that the present administration in the state would not condone any sharp practices that could shortchange the value of fuel purchased by motorists and other residents of the state.
Engr. Dairo stated that the team was set up to address inadequacies in transport fares and fuel, as well as to stop sharp practices by marketers.
The committee will also deal with the issue of tampering with meters in order to prevent an additional burden on people, who are already affected by the hike in fuel price and its attendant effects on the cost of transport fares and other economic activities in the country.
He insisted that failure of any transport union to comply with agreed resolution would be seen as an anti-government posture.
He implored the unions to ensure that their members do not arbitrarily increase transport fares, while assuring the people of government’s commitment towards alleviating their plight during the economic downturn.
The Monitoring Team had already visited some petrol stations, motor parks, and garages to ensure compliance.
Meanwhile, driven by the determination to boost Micro, Small and Medium-scale Enterprises (MSMEs) growth in the state, government has initiated policies and programmes that will improve the ease of doing business.
Government also intend to create access to finance, simplify land acquisition and registration of business premises, as well as infrastructure across the state.
The Special Adviser to the Governor on Ogun State Investment Promotion and Facilitation Agency, (OgunInvest), Ms. Sola Arobieke, made this known during a panel discussion at a two-day SME Development Workshop and Stakeholders Engagement Programme, organised by the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), in partnership with Woodhall Capital, at Eko Hotel & Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos,
Arobieke noted that streamlined regulations, improved access to financing and enhanced infrastructure had empowered local entrepreneurs and driven economic growth.
Speaking on the topic, “Creating an Enabling Environment for Sustainable Growth”, Ms. Arobeke, said OgunInvest provided guidance on accessing tax incentives at both the federal and state levels, adding that the state government had introduced initiatives such as, revenue harmonisation and tax reforms, including online payment of Pay As You Earn (PAYE), as well as other taxes.
She informed that OgunInvest serves as a centralised hub for businesses in the state to simplify the entrepreneurial process by providing streamlined access to land, permits and essential government services, noting that regular engagement with the Organised Private Sector (OPS) was a cornerstone of the state’s approach to fostering a supportive business climate, just as, “Breakfast with the Governor” sessions, was a forum to facilitate direct feedback, dialogue, share insights and challenges, with stakeholders, investors and business leaders, thereby enabling government to address concerns effectively and adapt its policies.
The governor’s aide highlighted the significance of the Ogun State Business Environment Council (OGBEC) in harmonising regulations across state at local government level, to engender a more business-friendly environment, empower local entrepreneurs and drive economic development, disclosing that to streamline the licensing process and promote entrepreneurship, the state’s Business Premises Portal had reduced its registration period from 18 days to mere minutes, while processing a construction permit was now seven days as against 51 days for residential applications and 14 days for commercial, even as Ogun State Land Administration and Revenue Management System (OLARMS) also facilitates global access to land purchases in the state.
On her part, Executive Vice-President of Afreximbank’s Intra-African Trade & Export Development Division, Mrs. Kanayo Awani, expressed the bank’s dedication to fostering Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) growth, to encourage competitive, export-grade products that meet global standards, thereby unlocking new trade opportunities and positioning local businesses for international expansion.
Contributing, founder of Woodhall Capital, Mrs. Mojisola Hunponu-Wusu, noted that supporting SMEs in reaching their full potential is crucial in building a prosperous Africa, emphasizing that helping enterprises to produce high-value, export-ready products would not only open international markets for them but also transform them into key players in the global trade economy, lamenting that limited access to these markets and the current lack of value-added production capabilities were preventing SMEs from maximizing the benefits of trade opportunities.
In her remarks, Ms. Oluranti Doherty, Managing Director of Export Development at Afreximbank, emphasised the importance of boosting SMEs’ participation in export value chains, pledging her company’s commitment to supporting the export development of SMEs.
