• Friday, March 29, 2024
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Ease of doing business: FG tasks civil servants on prompt service delivery

CAC

As part of efforts to improve the Nigerian business environment, the Federal Government has directed its workers to always ensure prompt service delivery to customers.

The National Coordinator, Service Compact with All Nigerians (SERVICOM), Nnenna Akajemeli gave the directive in Abuja on Tuesday at the Service Excellence workshop organised for members of staff of the Ministry of Transport and its parastatals.

Akajemeli said the workshop was to enlighten the workers on their role in the Federal Government’s plan to improve bureaucratic processes and ease of doing business for local and foreign investors.

She stressed the importance of creating a conducive business environment for both local and foreign businesses in Nigeria.

According to her, working at a government outfit is no excuse to delivering poor service, which is why it is crucial to change the mindset of public servants to be proactive and efficient in executing their duties.

Akajemeli said that SERVICOM would soon issue letters to heads of government parastatals to ensure that the best hands were assigned to head the SERVICOM unit, to ensure excellent service delivery.

“At a meeting with the Vice President, it was agreed that SERVICOM already has offices in all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), with complaint desk, customer service desk and also trained staff in the aspect of excellent service delivery.

“Therefore, we bring to the table a service that can help this country serve as the feedback platform for ease of doing business in Nigeria.

“This means we will go with our tools to evaluate the service delivery process, from the point of view of would be investors and upcoming business, to ascertain if the guidelines for doing business are being met,’’ she said.

Akajemeli directed all SERVICOM officers at the Nigeria Ports Authority, Shippers Council and others to report regularly to the service to ensure that customers got right services as promised.

One of the participants at the workshop, Rakiya Nuhu, an Assistant Director at the Nigerian Shippers Council (NSC) said assured that the council would improve its service delivery in areas of permits and licensing.

“You know doing business in government offices can be quite difficult and tasking.

“Service delivery in government offices is very important and I believe that after this training, a lot of us here will be able to learn about the importance of quality service delivery.

“It will also help us in knowing how to do your job well and to also give us the tools we require to be able to help our organisations to be more productive,’’ she said.

Nigeria prsently ranks 169 out of 190 in the 2016 World Bank report on Ease of doing Business.

The Federal Government has initiated moves to facilitate ease of doing business in Nigeria by approving a 60-day national action plan to push through short term reforms in the nation’s seaports, airports, and immigration among others.

Acting President, Yemi Osinbajo, had earlier constituted the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC) to achieve this.

The council is expected to within the 60-day period, focus on areas that will not only deliver tangible changes for Small and Medium-scale Enterprises but also help improve Nigeria’s entire business environment within the shortest possible time.

So far, PEBEC has recorded success in reducing the time it takes to register a company at Corporate Affairs Commission, and also get National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) number.