Mr
Tony Elumelu, Chairman, Heirs Holdings Ltd., on Monday stressed the need for
investors to report positive issues that would encourage doing business in the
country.
Tony Elumelu, Chairman, Heirs Holdings Ltd., on Monday stressed the need for
investors to report positive issues that would encourage doing business in the
country.
Elumelu
made the appeal at the Presidential Policy Dialogue at the 18th National
Economic Summit in Abuja. He
said that though corruption should be tackled in the system, it should not be
the major focus of reporting issues concerning the country.
made the appeal at the Presidential Policy Dialogue at the 18th National
Economic Summit in Abuja. He
said that though corruption should be tackled in the system, it should not be
the major focus of reporting issues concerning the country.
“Without
sounding a bit defensive, I think we tend to over bloat this issue of
corruption in Nigeria and in fact, almost all the speakers who have spoken
today are talking about corruption.
“When
the GSM licensing started in Nigeria, most strong telecommunications company
didn’t want to come to Nigeria to do business because they were afraid of
corruption.
the GSM licensing started in Nigeria, most strong telecommunications company
didn’t want to come to Nigeria to do business because they were afraid of
corruption.
“MTN
came to Nigeria to do business, they got the licence, the stock price crashed
in South Africa Stock Exchange, they started five, six years down the line;
Nigeria produces over 60 per cent of the GDP across the world.
came to Nigeria to do business, they got the licence, the stock price crashed
in South Africa Stock Exchange, they started five, six years down the line;
Nigeria produces over 60 per cent of the GDP across the world.
“But
they don’t tell that story about Nigeria, the story you hear is about
corruption,’’ he said.
they don’t tell that story about Nigeria, the story you hear is about
corruption,’’ he said.
According
to him, the company won one of the biggest power stations at 200 million dollars
without consulting anybody but going by the process.
to him, the company won one of the biggest power stations at 200 million dollars
without consulting anybody but going by the process.
He
said that Nigeria was a country of over 170 million population and should not
be projected in a bad light.
said that Nigeria was a country of over 170 million population and should not
be projected in a bad light.
“Yes
some people are corrupt in Nigeria, a country of about 170 million
people; we have one, two, or five per cent that are corrupt;
we talk so much about corruption and every speaker wants to talk about it
instead of saying the good things,’’ he added
some people are corrupt in Nigeria, a country of about 170 million
people; we have one, two, or five per cent that are corrupt;
we talk so much about corruption and every speaker wants to talk about it
instead of saying the good things,’’ he added
Dr
Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Coordinating Minister for the Economy, also said that a
lot needed to be done to tackle leakages in the economy to generate revenue.
Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Coordinating Minister for the Economy, also said that a
lot needed to be done to tackle leakages in the economy to generate revenue.
She
said that the Federal Government had given the Chief of Defence Staff charge to
deal with issues of oil theft and bunkering.
said that the Federal Government had given the Chief of Defence Staff charge to
deal with issues of oil theft and bunkering.
She
said that during the ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration, the level
of leakage in oil theft was reduced from 150,000 barrel to 50,000 barrel a day.
said that during the ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration, the level
of leakage in oil theft was reduced from 150,000 barrel to 50,000 barrel a day.
She
said that Nigeria needed to elicit the help of the international communities to
achieve this.
said that Nigeria needed to elicit the help of the international communities to
achieve this.
She
noted that through the Presidential Task Force on Subsidy, a good story could
be told with the identification of dubious claims of about N232 billion.
noted that through the Presidential Task Force on Subsidy, a good story could
be told with the identification of dubious claims of about N232 billion.
