UFOMBA UZUEGBU
All roads lead to the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja today,(June 26), where top government functionaries, captains of industry and eminent Nigerians from all walks of life, will meet for the 3rd Employers’ Summit powered by the Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association, NECA.
Strategies aimed at attracting more investment and create pathways for consensus building for the effective implementation of reforms, will rank top on the agenda at the epochal event with the theme: “Economic Renaissance : Harnessing Government Reforms and Private Sector Agility”.
President Bola Tinubu will lead other federal government officials to the ceremony.
Among other government officials expected to grace the two-day event are: Vice President Kashim Shettima, Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister for the Economy,Mr Wale Edun, Central Bank Governor, Mr Olayemi Cardoso, Minister of State for Labour, Mrs Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, among others.
The Director-General of NE’CA, Mr Wale-Smatt Oyerinde, who briefed newsmen ahead of the Summit,disclosed that the President has accepted to attend the Summit.
Oyerinde urged government to develop strategies for making reform benefits accessible to all and also identify inclusive growth pathways for equitable opportunities.
He said the Summit is expected to re-establish the nexus between government reforms and private-sector collaboration for rapid national growth and sustainable development.
The NECA helmsman said it was also expected to explore alternative mechanisms for deepened Public Private Partnerships in the job creation, skills development and enterprise sustainability.
” The Summit is an opportunity for government to share critical policy reforms. It is a veritable opportunity for government to share its perspective and the challenges it faces so that investors can listen to it, and build confidence and everybody would be behind the government to drive the reform.
“One of the things missing, is building consensus around government reforms and the government can leverage on the Summit to build the reform to do that on our platform”,he said.
Chairman, the Committee of Finance Experts, NECA, who is also the co-chair of the Summit,Muyiwa Adebayo, said the Summit would forster a higher level of participation of the private sector in reforms formulation, implementation and appraisal as a means to building national consensus and participation.
He added that it would also generate and promote alternative policy frameworks for national development and reinforce the role of the private sector as the engine of national development.
Also, another co-chair of the Summit and chairperson, NECA Committee of Corporate Communications and Public Affairs Expert, Victoria Uwadoka ,said the Employers’ Summit, would focus on four thematic areas, implementing economic policies without businesses’ resistance, job creation dynamics,and advocacy for policy clarity and strategic partnership for holistic transformation.
” Having an economic resistance means businesses are thriving, there is more productivity, people are gainfully employed and they can afford necessities. This can only happen when there is collaboration between public and private sector.
” There is the need to look at the Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), that are the bedrock of any economy and for the economy to grow, we must look at empowering SMEs and create platforms to drive the funds needed for them to grow exponentially “,she said.
