By LUCY OGALUE

The Federal Government has reiterated its commitment to ensuring Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) complied with the Executive Order 001(EO1) on Transparency and Efficiency in the Nigerian Business Environment.

Dr Jumoke Oduwole, Special Adviser to the President, Ease of Doing Business and Secretary, Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC), said this on Thursday in Abuja.L

Oduwole restated PEBEC’s promise to continuously track and keep the business community updated on MDAs performance through its Executive Order report.

She said in the PEBEC’s 2022 EO1 Compliance Report, Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) performed the highest with 81.11 per cent.

She said the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) and Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Council (FCCPC) came second and third with 78.68 per cent and 68.37 per cent respectively.

The PEBEC secretary said Nigerian Export-Import Bank (NEXIM) came fourth with 64.59 per cent and Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) fifth with 63.68 per cent.

According to Oduwole, the codification of EO1 directives in the Business Facilitation Act 2022 is a major development in the efforts to entrench EO1 in the psyche of the Civil Service.

She expressed optimism that the legal provisions enshrined in it would serve as a stimulus for a more transparent and efficient public service delivery in Nigeria.

On penalties for noncompliance, Oduwole said there were penalties for public office holders in the public service rule

She, however, called on the private sector to report cases of corruption or abuse of the act.

She urged Nigerians to explore the Business Facilitation Act 2022 to ensure the reduction in most bottlenecks encountered in doing business in the country.

The secretary also called on the media to collaborate with PEBEC to create more awareness among the public on the benefits of the Order.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the EO1 was issued as the President Muhammadu Buhari administration’s first Executive Order on May 18, 2017.

It Is meant to strengthen the implementation of business climate reforms and deepen collaboration among MDAs by instituting a systemic change management process for reforms.

EO1 mandates MDAs to submit monthly reports to the PEBEC Secretariat, the offices of the Head of Service (HOS) of the Federation, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), and SERVICOM.

The PEBEC, chaired by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, was established in July 2016 by Buhari to remove critical bottlenecks and bureaucratic constraints to business in Nigeria. (NAN)

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