…. Says Gas Turbines Will Reduce Cost Of Doing Business in the State.
From Kenechukwu Obiajuru, Yenagoa
The Bayelsa State Government has called on the business community in the state to support its efforts at fighting the proliferation of fake and adulterated products that are being distributed and sold to consumers within and outside the state.
The Deputy Governor, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, made the call at the weekend when the Bayelsa Mega Entrepreneurs Forum paid him a courtesy visit in Government House, Yenagoa.
The Deputy Governor, who described the mega entrepreneurs as the backbone of the economy of the State, however, noted that they have a critical role to play to checkmate the marketing and distribution of fake and expired goods and products which portend danger to the populace.
While encouraging the entrepreneurs to always pay their taxes to government as required by law, Senator Ewhrudjakpo, assured that the concerns raised by the group, especially the issue of multiple taxation, would be appropriately addressed.
He informed that government had prioritized the twin issues of security and power as key drivers of business and economic development, hence it had invested heavily in the security architecture of the State.
Describing power generation as the major component of the cost of doing business in the country, he further assured the Bayelsa business community that the State Government was working assiduously to meet up the December deadline for the full operation of its new gas turbine plant to solve the problem of epileptic electricity supply.
The Bayelsa number two Man equally called on the big entrepreneurs to extend their various businesses to the rural areas to stimulate a balanced economic growth in every part of the state, and not just in the capital city alone.
On the forthcoming Bayelsa Mega Entrepreneurship Summit, he said government was on top of it and would leave no stone unturned to make it a huge success.
His words: ” It is good to see that you have come together to form a group. Your coming together will do a lot of good for our state. You are a pillar to the economy of Bayelsa State.
“We believe that every good government should create the enabling environment for entrepreneurs to thrive. That is why the ASSURED Prosperity Government is taking the most important to the least. We have improved our security architecture to secure lives and property because without security, nobody can comfortably do business.
“After security, the next thing is power for businesses to thrive. Power generation to sustain business is highly capital-intensive. But very soon, there will be relief as government is working round the clock on the December deadline.
” As a government, we want to encourage you to moderate your businesses, and pay taxes as at and when due. There is also the issue of fake and adulterated products in the State. We need your support and cooperation in the fight to checkmate the proliferation of fake products being sold in the state.”
Earlier in a remark, the Technical Adviser to the Governor on Entrepreneurship Development, Mrs. Charity Kens-Godwin, explained that the visit was intended to create an opportunity for the Bayelsa Mega Entrepreneurs to interface with government.
While reminding the Deputy Governor of the Bayelsa Mega Entrepreneurship Summit that is due in a week’s time, Mrs Kens- Godwin applauded him for his good disposition towards the business community, especially on the issue of multiple taxation.
Also, the CEO of Ayalla Hotels, Chief Ayalla Robert Enogha, thanked the state government for taking the bull by the horn through the acquisition of the gas turbines to stabilize power supply in the state, noting that the cost of diesel consumes a huge chunk of profits from businesses operating in the state.
Chief Ayalla, who extolled government for creating the platform through the office of the Technical Adviser on Entrepreneurship Development, however, pleaded with government to look into the issue of multiple taxation as well as high levies being imposed on truck drivers bringing goods into the state, which translates to higher prices and cost of living.
