Bauchi Inaugurates Council On Ease Of Doing Business

Bauchi State deputy governor, Mohammed Auwal Jatau, has assured the private sector that the state government will lay a solid foundation for economic growth and development for the benefit of both government and the people.

Jatau spoke at the inaugural meeting of the reconstituted State Council on Ease of Doing Business (EODB) Reforms at the Conference Hall of his office, yesterday.

He said Bauchi is one of the performing states in sub-national Ease of Doing Business ranking among the 36 states of the federation and the FCT.

The deputy governor said the State Action on Business Enabling Reforms (SABER) programme was designed to have a gross value of $750 million for the country which is expected to be drawn by the states on performance basis with tenure of three years.

Jatau said the proposed Disbursement Linked Indicators (DLIS) covers five areas of land administration, improved business-enabling infrastructure, increased sustainable large-scale Investments, enabling firm operations and regulatory reforms, courts and skills.

The deputy governor who is the chairman of the council, said the state government has demonstrated enough commitment and willingness by participating in the World Bank first Performance-for-Result programme known as the State Action on Business Enabling Reforms (SABER).

According to him, other commendable efforts by the state included the development of the State Action on Business Reform Action Plan (BERAP) for 2023 through the active engagement of key stakeholders in both the public and private sectors.

He said the State Council on Ease of Doing Business (EODB) Reforms will serve as the catalyst for change, ensuring that the state government‘s policies and regulations align with its vision for economic development, adding that the present administration has since recognised the importance of providing a favourable ecosystem for businesses to flourish in which the establishment of the Council is a testament to the commitment.

„We are embarking on a journey towards transforming Bauchi into a hub of economic activity, attracting investors, stimulating entrepreneurship, and unlocking the full potential of our resources,“ he said.

Earlier, the state commissioner for budget and economic planning, Aminu Hammadi, who was represented by the permanent secretary, Idris Saleh, said the inauguration of the State Council on Ease of Doing Business signified the unwavering commitment of the state government to economic development.