The Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators (ICSAN) on Friday called on governments, regulatory agencies, public and private sector, and the citizenry to collaborate in promoting the ease of doing business.
The President of the ICSAN, Mr Bode Ayeku, who made the call at a news conference in Lagos, said that promoting the ease of doing business was essential to ensuring economic growth.
Ayeku spoke while shedding light on the Institute’s upcoming 2019 Conference and Dinner, tagged, “Ease of Doing Business in Nigeria: The Role of Regulatory Agencies,’’ holding on Sept. 12 and Sept. 13.
According to the ICSAN president, the public sector will thrive when there is a conducive environment for business, while the private can contribute their quota towards the development of the economy.
“In the past, we restricted ourselves to our core areas; the theme of our previous conferences had always been around corporate governance, but we decided that we should have themes that are more relevant to the economy.
“It is only when you have a thriving economy that you can talk about good corporate governance or sound administration.
“If you look at the indices, both in the public and private sector, what they’ve been talking about is the ease of doing business.
“The government in different fora have made commitments that they would provide enabling environment to facilitate the ease of doing business,’’ he said.
Ayeku noted that the fundamental challenge of the organised private sector was in not being able to do their business with ease, while government officials said their priority was to create ease of doing business.
He said that the conference would help the Institute to find the missing links in the environment, and reassure the private sector of the opportunity to air their views and challenges to the appropriate agencies that can address them.
The ICSAN chief said there could not be a successful discussion on the ease of doing business without discussing the people’s security.
According to Ayeku, if properly addressed, the discussion at the conference will proffer solutions to increased crime, such as kidnapping and insurgency.
“If people are employed, you don’t see anybody to recruit as political thugs, or if people are employed, they would not have time for kidnapping,’’ he said.
An ICSAN council member, Mr Yomi Adebayo, called on professional bodies to join forces with the government to ensure that there was ease in doing business in the nation.
“It is not the sole responsibility of the government; if business environment is not conducive, economic growth is not assured,’’ Adebayo said.
The Acting Registrar of the Institute, Ms Oladunni Ogunsulire, said the participants would include chartered and company secretaries, student members, legal practitioners, accountants, as well as senior officials of ministries and parastatals.
NAN reports that the Institute will confer honorary fellowship on the Former Managing Director of Cadbury Nigeria, Dr Christopher Kolade, and the Chairman of Petrolex Nigeria Limited, Mr Kessington Adebutu.
