Africa
THE Kwara Chamber of Commerce, Industry Mines and Agriculture (KWACCIMA) has appealed to the State Government to fasttrack the release of Certificates of Occupancy (CofO) to its members.
The chamber this would enable the members access bank facilities after submitting their needed collateral documents.
The President of KWACCIMA, Alhaji Fatai Ayodimeji, made this appeal at the 52nd Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the association in Ilorin on Thursday.
Ayodimeji advocated for a high level of public/private sector collaboration to ensure sustainable development in the state.
He called on the public and private sectors in the state to collaborate in order to overcome the challenges faced by businesses as the current situation required strategic change of attitude by all stakeholders to breed confidence and trust on both parties.
“We are at a most crucial crossroad in the future of our country as it is increasingly becoming difficult to do business.
“We face an environment of significant business challenges caused by dwindling national revenue, increased national debt, rising insecurity, climate change, and rising interest and inflation rates.
“We appeal to the state government to fast track the signing and release of Certificates of Occupancy to members, as our members are denied access to bank facility due to inability to submit collateral documents.
“On multiple taxes and levies, we suggest widening of tax net so that the burden does not inordinately fall on salaried workers and easy to target compliant companies.
“There is need for the harmonisation of levies and oversight functions of the various statutory agencies,” he said.
Ayodimeji, however, suggested that there was need for the public and private sectors to work together on policy making at the conception stage and not at the time of implementation.
The president tasked council members to embrace change, saying both public and private sectors needed to adapt to the rising trends in digital transformation and technology.
“The digital transformation age is the very definition of competitiveness; if companies want to survive, they must embrace this reality and recognise the emphasis on the role of human capital, innovation, resilience and agility are the features of economic success in the 4th Industrial Revolution,” Ayodimeji said.
The state Commissioner for Business, Innovation and Technology, Mr Ibrahim Akaje, represented by the Director of Commerce, Mr Sani Ibrahim, noted that KWACCIMA was playing a crucial role in the state’s economic growth.
Akaje however advised the association to step up efforts in strategising and partnering with Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to ensure development and industrial revolution.
On his part, the Commissioner for Solid Minerals Development, Mrs Harriet Oshatimehin, also commended KWACCIMA for contributing their quota towards creating more jobs and reducing the rate of unemployment in the state.
Oshatimehin assured that the state government under the leadership of Gov. AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq was committed to supporting the association towards attaining its aspiration, economic growth and development of the state.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Membership Certificates were issued to 25 new members of the association. (NAN)
A.I
Tags: Alhaji Fatai Ayodimeji GOV. Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq KWACCIMA Mr Ibrahim Akaje Mr Sani Ibrahim Mrs Harriet Oshatimehin
