States Pledge To Improve SME Investments

States in the South West Zone  have pledged commitment  to the improvement of the   investment climate to attract investors and ensure development and industrialisation of the region.
They made the disclosure at a consultative forum tagged,  ”Ease of doing business, “  which held  at Owu Crown Hotel in Ibadan recently.
The forum was organised by the Development Agenda for Western Nigeria (DAWN ) in partnership with the Department for International Development (DFID).
The representatives of the states–Mr A.R Alonge (Ondo), Mrs Folakemi Akinleye (Oyo), Musari Olukayode (Ogun) and  Gabriel Oso (Osun)—in various submissions, pledged to provide an investment-friendly climate to promote SMEs  and other investors.
They, however,  lamented the  non-repayment of over N2 billion in loans  given to SMEs in the zone, saying this was affecting the sustainability of the initiative.
Stakeholders  at the forum in their  presentations,  had called on  governors in the zone  to review policies  on  small and medium business enterprises to allow industrialisation and development to thrive.
The forum, which had  in attendance representatives of the South West states, also attracted participants from  the private sector, NDLEA, NAFDAC, SMEDAN, Civil Society Organisations, security agencies and Corporate Affairs Commission.
Mr Adetayo Adeleke-Adedoyin, a Staff Analyst at the  DAWN commission,  said that stakeholders have roles to  play in identifying challenges and proffering solutions  to drive development in the zone.
“Nigeria was ranked 169 out of 190 countries in 2016 on ease of doing business.
“This was the reason for the constitution of a  presidential committee by the Federal Government to unravel challenges  of doing business and proffer solutions,” he said.