The Bayelsa State Government has called on the business community to support its campaign against the circulation of fake and adulterated products, warning that such goods pose serious risks to consumers within and beyond the state.
Deputy Governor Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo made the appeal over the weekend when the Bayelsa Mega Entrepreneurs Forum paid him a courtesy visit at the Government House in Yenagoa.
Describing the entrepreneurs as the backbone of the state’s economy, he stressed their critical role in curbing the distribution of expired and counterfeit items.
Senator Ewhrudjakpo also urged entrepreneurs to ensure timely payment of taxes while assuring that concerns such as multiple taxation would be addressed.
He cited security and power supply as key priorities for the government, noting that improvements in these areas are essential to reducing the cost of doing business.
The Deputy Governor further encouraged business owners to expand operations to rural areas to promote balanced economic growth, rather than concentrating solely in Yenagoa.
On the upcoming Bayelsa Mega Entrepreneurship Summit, he reiterated the government’s commitment to ensuring the event’s success.
"It is good to see that you have come together to form a group. Your coming together will do a lot of good for our state. You are a pillar to the economy of Bayelsa State.
"We believe that every good government should create an enabling environment for entrepreneurs to thrive. That is why the Assured Prosperity Government is taking issues from the most important to the least. We have improved our security architecture to secure lives and property because, without security, nobody can comfortably do business.
"After security, the next key factor is power for businesses to thrive. Power generation to sustain business is highly capital-intensive, but very soon there will be relief, as the government is working round the clock to meet the December deadline.
"As a government, we want to encourage you to properly moderate your businesses and pay taxes as and when due. There is also the issue of fake and adulterated products in the state. We need your support and cooperation in the fight to check the proliferation of fake goods being sold in Bayelsa," he said.
Earlier, Mrs Charity Kens-Godwin, Technical Adviser to the Governor on Entrepreneurship Development, explained that the visit provided an opportunity for entrepreneurs to engage directly with the government.
She also reminded the Deputy Governor of the forthcoming summit and praised his efforts to address multiple taxation concerns.
Speaking on behalf of the business community, Chief Ayalla Robert Enogha, CEO of Ayalla Hotels, commended the government’s acquisition of gas turbines, saying that diesel costs have long eaten into business profits.
Enogha also appealed for interventions on multiple taxation and levies imposed on truck drivers, which he said contribute to higher prices and an increased cost of living in the state.
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