From Maurice Okafor, Enugu
The Enugu State government has comnended the Organused Private Sector, OPS, for its contribution in endearing ease of doing business and business growth in the state, emphasising on the need to consolidate on the gains in the year 2026 and others ahead.
The above commendation was brought to the fore during a one-day engagement between the officials of Enugu state government and some heads of private enterprises stationed in Enugu state, held at Enugu State Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (ECCIMA) building, Old Trade fair Complex,on Thursday, December 11th, 2025.
The stakeholders meeting tagged, ‘Enugu State Enabling Reforms Action Plan(BERAP), Private Sector Engagement Sessions,’ dwelt on topics and contributions that will enable the state government improve on policies that will improve ease of doing business in Enugu state, thereby making Enugu state a destination point for investors.
The State Commissioner for Commerce,Trade and Investments, Dr Sam. Ogbu Nwobodo, stressed that his ministry targets a reform agenda that will enable the state government realise its dream of boosting the state Growth Domestic Product(,GDP) from $4.4billion dollars to &30 billion dollars in the next few years .
To achieve this result, he said, the inputs of the Organised Private Sector operators are very important in the build up to the recommendations.
He recalled the fact that similar contributions since the past three years of continous engagement with the Organised Private Sector recorded tremendous success in lifting Enugu state from it’s last position of 36th out of 37th states in Nigeria including the FCT to it present position of 6th out of the 36th states in ease of doing business.
On his part, a consultant, Mr David Uzodike, disclosed that Enugu state is among the first three states in Nigeria with a robust and qualitative regulatory ownership of lands with the government carrying the communities along, stating it is a sureway to engage communities harmoniously in providing lands for agriculture and other Investments.
He emphasised the commitment of Governor Peter Mbah led administration in facilitating Certificate of Ownership (CofOs) to intending investors and also ending the disparity against the female gender on issues of land acquisition in the state.
In one of the interactive sessions, the business community was also enlightened on the processes of getting quick dispensation of justice, without seeking the services of a lawyer, when encumbered with commercial disputes.
Allegations of multiple taxation on the side of the state government were also dispelled, with a clarification that the state government has since adopted a system of articulating all the business taxes in one document and the person will pay to only one Central unit, reflected in the tax document.
Speaking to newsmen thereafter on the gains of the engagement, the representative of Manufactures Association of Nigeria (MAN), Mrs Ijeoma Ezeasor, commended Enugu state government for taking the lead among states in the South East zone, delving on ease of doing business.
However, she advised the state government to go extra miles in curtailing the actions of Non State Actors, who indulge in extorting the Manufacturers and Products providers at several check points and boundaries across the state, by collecting unjust levies from them.
