The Lagos State Government has advised the newly elected executive members of the Computer and Allied Product Dealers Association of Nigeria (CAPDAN), the umbrella body of the computer marketers in Ikeja, to eschew anything that could disrupt the fresh breath of peace and harmony being enjoyed within the association since the issue of election into the executive committee of the market, which had lingered for 12 years, has been resolved.

Speaking during the visit of the new executive members led by the President Mr. Ojikutu Adeniyi, to the Office of the Civic Engagement at the Alausa, Secretariat, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Civic Engagement, Mr. Kehinde Joseph, said the desire of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode to ensure that everyone in the State carries out his or her business peacefully necessitated government intervention.

While calling on the executives to close ranks with all sections of the market so that all members could be united and operate under the same association, Kehinde enjoined them to be wary of the activities of miscreants and other elements that could impede business activities and friendly environment needed for businesses to thrive.

Earlier, the President of CAPDAN, Mr. Ojikutu Adeniyi thanked the State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode for resolving the election issue in the market, stressing that the period the market was without the central executive was harrowing as no one could assert any authority in view of the non-existence of a recognised body in the market.

The President described the market as an asset to the State as it is the largest Information/Communication Technology (ICT) market in Nigeria nay West Africa sub -region with over 4,000 members, adding that over 25,000 people throng the market with an average of about two billion naira worth of business transactions taking place on daily basis.

Mr. Ojikutu, however, expressed the readiness of the CAPDAN to partner with the State government on the Wealth Creation and Employment agenda, saying that an average entrepreneur in the market has five to ten employees and apprentices while the big ones have a large number of employees who are highly educated.

While noting that the promotion of entrepreneurship in the State would be greatly enhanced, if members of the association could benefit from the 25 billion Naira Employment Trust Fund of the State, Ojikutu maintained that this gesture would not only create wealth and employment for the teaming youths in the ICT sector, it would also boost the economy by increasing the tax revenue of the State Government.

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