Edo adopts plan to boost investment inflow, deepen reforms

Edo State Government has developed and ratified the state’s Business Enabling Reforms Action Plan (BERAP) 2023 to deepen reforms in the business environment towards attracting investors to various sectors of the state’s economy.

A statement by Special Assistant to Edo State Government on Special Media, Crusoe Osagie, explains that BERAP was drafted by Edo State Ease of Doing Business Secretariat and approved by the State Executive Council as a framework to implement State Action on Business Enabling Reforms (SABER).

The statement reads: “SABER is a programme backed by Federal Government and World Bank and aimed at providing incentives to state governments to encourage deepening of business environment reforms.

“The framework improves access to information and entrenches transparency of government processes; strengthens the regulatory environment for businesses; raises the standard of infrastructure and security for local businesses; provides Regulatory Impact Assessment; implements the Edo State Power Sector Reforms Law; increases public patronage of the Edo Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprise Fund, amongst other.”

It quoted the Managing Director, Edo State Investment Promotion Office, Mr. Kelvin Uwaibi, as saying that Edo State Executive Council was set up to ensure Edo State becomes the number one destination for investment in Nigeria.

He said: “Governor Godwin Obaseki has given us a mandate that is very clear. We know what each government agency is tasked with and what we hope to achieve as a whole when the tasks are completed correctly and in a timely fashion.

“Ultimately, we are reforming our business regulatory environment to provide above optimum services for investors to make them feel happy and confident about doing business in the state.

“We also want investors to know that Edo means business and the EoDB Secretariat available for every investor to approach to answer any questions they may have about investing in Edo.”