The Nation Newspaper

Tag: conducive

  • ‘Delta should be more conducive for business’

    ASSOCIATION of Professional Bodies of Nigeria (APBN) has highlighted multiple-taxation and the hostile attitude of indigenes as factors impeding business in Delta State.

    Speaking at a meeting of APBN’s board in Effurun, over the weekend, state Chairman John Aikpokpo-Martins noted that the government should  ease things for investors.

    According to the body, the hostile environment investors go through led to the relocation of many businesses from Delta to places of friendlier  environment.

    Aikpokpo-Martins said: “If you look at the issue of taxation, no development, no light. If you buy a piece of land, some people will tell you if you don’t pay some certain amount of money you won’t develop. All these things must stop.

  • Provide conducive atmosphere for new port order, Shippers’ Council urges FG

    Provide conducive atmosphere for new port order, Shippers’ Council urges FG

    The Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC)  yesterday  urged the Federal Government to provide a more conducive atmosphere to achieve the new port order.

    The Executive Secretary of the NSC, Mr Hassan Bello, made the plea during a two-day training programme on effective media practice for maritime journalists with the theme, “A New Port Order: A New Maritime Media,’’  in Lagos.

    The new port order is designed  to ensure that the nation’s ports become as efficient as what could be obtained in other advanced countries.

    An efficient port order  discourages diversion of ships to neighbouring countries, increases vessel and cargo traffic and generates more revenue for government and service providers.

    Bello said the need for good maritime reports could not be over-emphasised because the media were among the change agents of operations in the industry.

    “If maritime reporters are performing their roles effectively, everybody in the sector will do the right thing at the appropriate time,” Bello said according to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

    “Maritime reporters need to upgrade their knowledge of the familiar trends in the industry and should report critically,’’ Bello said.

    He also said that for quick and positive results of the new port order, procedures should be carried out appropriately as being done globally.

    The NSC chief also  stressed   the need to introduce automation into the system, saying this would reduce delay in all chains of shipping until the consignments get to the owner.

    The Executive Secretary said there had been reduction in delay in shipping processes, adding that Nigerian ports need to be competitive to attract more shippers who would use them as preferred destinations.

    “Before we can achieve new port order, Nigerian ports must be efficient.

    “Nigeria has 860 km nautical miles with 26 terminal operators and the competition needs to be supervised,”  Bello said.

    He said there should be a moderator to checkmate the operations of the terminal operators as well as the shipping companies.

    Bello said there must be equilibrium in operations which would stimulate positive competition and efficiency in the port system.

  • ‘Abia now conducive for investment’

    The performance of Abia State Governor Theodore Orji has put the state in the forefront as an investment destination, a former Special Adviser to the governor, Mr. Men Onyechere said in a statement yesterday.

    Onyechere said Orji has surprised his political opponents “who hitherto regarded the state as good for nothing”

    He added: “ In the period under review, no assailable weapon was spared against the administration but the man at the helm of affairs took them in their stride and with a giant stride, had overwhelmed the expectations of detractors who have now scampered for cover with sealed lips.

    “The administration of Governor Orji which was fraught with booby traps and mountainous challenges can now be reckoned as one of the best performing in this country today with measure- able indices which are proven beyond doubts.

    “ With close to three years in the second run of his administration, Orji has been able prove book makers wrong particularly with the take off of an airport project, recall of disengaged staff of other states, relocation of the Umuahia central market and other infrastructural development initiatives too numerous to mention.”

  • ‘Oyo ‘ll provide conducive atmosphere for investors’

    Wife of the Deputy Governor of Oyo State, Mrs Janet Alake Adeyemo, has reiterated the commitment of the state government in providing a conducive atmosphere for investors.

    She spoke at the opening of the new Foodco Home Collection outlet at Cocoa mall, Dugbe, Ibadan.

    She said the overall objective of the present administration was to make life more meaningful for the people of the state and to create a conducive atmosphere for business investment.

    “We are happy that new business outlets are opening everyday in this state. This is to show that there is a peaceful and conducive environment already, and the present administration led by Governor Abiola Ajimobi will continue to promote the business of our people in order to make life better for them,” she said.

    While appreciating Foodco management for investing in the state, Mrs Adeyemo enjoined them to be more committed to expanding their business venture, adding that it would bring about the desired development in the state.

    The Chairman, Foodco Nig Ltd, Dr Sun Basorun, said the idea of diverting into home collection products was to correct retail abnormality in the country.

  • ‘Create a conducive environment for entrepreneurs’

    The Federal Government has been urged to provide conducive environment for new entrepreneurs.

    A financial expert, Mr Shola Sulyman, gave theh advice in Omu-Aran, Kwara State.

    He said the private sector can revive the economy. He called for the adoption of a corporate turnaround management strategy to save troubled companies and return them to solvency.

    “When we talk about corporate turnaround management, I am referring to the way we resuscitate failed or failing businesses.

    “It’s a complex and tasking service that demand expected results within weeks or months.

    “When a business or company is in crisis, either financial or management, you need to take a proper diagnostic approach to ascertain where the problem lies,” he said.

    Sulyman, who is also the Chief Executive Officer of Sash and White Consulting firm, said the high number of failed businesses had contributed to the increasing rate of unemployment and insecurity.

    He said the alarming rate of business failures in the Third World countries was not only crippling the economy, but affecting the citizens’ standard of living and their images.

    “For this reason, there is need to imbibe corporate turnaround management in developing economies and more especially in the public sector,” he added.

    Sulyman identified factors responsible for failure of businesses to include poor strategic choices, lack of financial discipline and obsolete business models.

    Other factors, he said, were economic recession, government’s intervention and disaster induced business failures.

     

    Some artisans in the Federal Capital Terrietory (FCT), called on the Federal Government to create aconducive environment for tradesmen and artisans. In an interview in Abuja, some of them said such environment would boost the country’s opportunity to achieve her economic growth objectives by ensuring the viability and vibrancy of the sector.

    Head of Operations, Baba Kenny Owens Creation,Arts and Craft Village, Mr Kennedy Eguakun, stressed the need for the development of the industry.

    He said there was also the need to provide opportunity for tradesmen and artisans to thrive in the country.

    “We are talking about increasing the economic growth of our country, but if we fail to provide opportunity for tradesmen and artisans to thrive, then the economy will not perform.“Nigerian artisans can help to make the country a great nation among countries of the world only if given priority.

    “Any nation that want to progress must pay attention to what the artisans are doing and they should be given the required attention.’’He added that the federal government should partner with artisans to strengthen the economy of the nation.

    Creative Director, Steeveruada Ventures, Mr Steven Eruada,, solicited for government support in training artisans, adding such training would enable them produce goods that can compared to products from the rest of the world.

    A painter,Mr Stanley Nwanyawu, pleaded with the Federal Government to create the necessary infrastructure to support entrepreneurship.

    Good access roads,he noted that would provide easy access to sources of raw materials and would also reduce the high cost of art works.

    “It will be beneficial to all artists if adequate infrastructures are provided to reduce the stress of producing artworks;as this will improve the economic condition of the country,’’ he said.