•Signs Mou with major multinationals, others
The Lagos State government has attracted a lot of foreign direct investment into the country in the last three years, Dr. Olukayode Oguntimehin, Permanent Secretary, Office of Overseas Affairs (Lagos Global) has said.
He gave this hint while speaking on the sidelines during the maiden edition of the ‘Investors Roundtable Engagement’ with existing investors in Lagos at the weekend.
According to him, the Lagos state has had the good fortune of attracting major businesses into the country due to its cosmopolitan nature as well as ease of doing business.
Specifically, he said, the General Electric which shares the vision of the government in the area of creating opportunities for the teeming population of youths signed a memorandum of understanding to train youths across the state on IT-related skills amongst others.
Like GE, several other companies, he maintained, have also entered one form of agreement with the state government to contribute their quota in the area of employment.
Echoing similar sentiments, Mrs. Hauwa Adeeyo, Special Assistant to the Governor on Investor Relation and Aftercare, said it was heartening to note that the agency that has helped to fast track the process of investment drive into the state is Lagos Global.
This, she stressed, was made possible because of the rapprochement between the various agencies of government in the state.
“Lagos Global looks forward to a profitable and rewarding experience. We like to thank all the investors. Office of Overseas Affairs and Investments (Lagos Global) who have continued to stand by us and wish to assure them of better days ahead,” she stressed.
The forum tagged, ‘Role of Aftercare Service in Investment Promotion’ attracted existing and prospective investors drawn from different walks of life including manufacturing, oil and gas, transport , banking and financial services sectors.
Also speaking at the event, the Lagos State Head of Service, Mr. Akeem Muri-Okunola noted that on the question of whether Lagos Global would continue at the expiration of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode’s tenure, he answered in the affirmative. “I think government is a continuum and the fate of MDAs anywhere is always dependent on the visions of the government and as such there is always constant ministerial reorganisation all the time. It’s called mapping. For as long as your agency remains relevant and for as long as it is serving the purpose I do not see any reason why it wouldn’t continue. But this agency and its goals would continue in my belief.”
The Lagos Global, he reiterated, “Is filling a major gap that has existed in governance which is the feedback mechanism for the work between government and the people. And it has been filling this space in the last three and half years. The most important thing of course is the aftercare. Aftercare is really dependent on feedback. We can’t make improvements without necessary feedback.”
One way to ease the pain of doing business, Mri-Okunola stressed, was to review cost downward just as he maintained that there is need for constant training of staff on customer friendly approach.
Amongst the roll-call of dignitaries at the event include: Nigeria Ambassador to Cotonu, His Excellency, Oguntuase Kayode, Chairman, Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN) Dr. Wale Adeeyo, Managing Director, Greenview Terminal, Captain Olugbenga Abidoye who represented business mogul, Alhaji Aliko Dangote.
Others include serving personnel within the State civil service namely: Mr. Bode Agoro, Permanent Secretary, Lands Bureau, Oshinfuye, O.A.,General Manager, Lagos State Planning Permit Agency, Nurudeen Shodeinde, General Manager, Lagos State Building Control Agency, Mr. Abideen Adetokunbo Akande, Special Adviser, to the Executive Chairman Lagos State Internal Revenue Service, Mr. Akin Oyebode, Executive Secretary, Lagos State Employment Trust Fund and a host of others.
Leave a Reply