By Dr. Rapulu Ernest Nduka
The provision of a conducive business climate is the best platform any government can deliver to enable ease of doing business.
As we dissect the newly enacted CAMA, it is obvious that certain facets of human endeavour are not made better by mere legislative intervention.
The business climate in Nigeria is harsh. Local businesses grapple with a lot of issues and Foreign companies are not spared either. Manufacturers are bedevilled with multiple taxes, multiple regulatory bodies (who seem to be more excited about the revenue they generate than making the industry better), bad roads, expensive power generation etc.
We spend so much energy wooing foreign investors while nothing is on ground to make them stay and succeed.
The ultimate consideration should be the convenience of the common man and not how much government makes from businesses. When exorbitant licensing fees (and other fees), fines are imposed on businesses, the ultimate payer is the common man. When the Government sets up frightening fees that make it impossible for businesses to stay afloat, they either silently fold up (for local companies) or sell off their assets (for foreign companies with options). At the end, the common man is the loser.
Listening to motivational speakers with regards to doing business in Nigeria does not make sense. Most motivational speakers won’t tell you the major reason behind their success. Most won’t tell you that they enjoy government patronage while others won’t tell you that the monopoly government provides them, makes them thick.
Whatever policy set in motion which does not favour the common man is useless.
We can do better.
