Plateau Coalition of Business and Professional Associations, a coalition of entrepreneurs, has identified multiple taxes and insecurity as impediments to doing business on the Plateau.
“The weather is attractive and the market is good, but multiple taxes and the fear of the unknown constitute some hindrances to doing business here,” PLACOPA Chairman, Simon Tangni, told the News Agency of Nigeria in Jos on Monday.
Tangni said cumbersome land administration systems had also frustrated and discouraged many large scale entrepreneurs seeking to establish firms in the state.
Tangni said that the group recently conducted a survey on obstacles of doing business and submitted its findings to the authorities.
“We conducted a survey and submitted the outcome to those concerned and believe that something will be done to assist people seeking to invest in Plateau,” he said.
The Chairman called for a harmonized taxation formula that would allow those in business to know what to pay, when and how to minimise a situation where investors would operate at a loss.
Tangni also decried the “unnecessary” bureaucracy involved in the acquisition of land and title documents and stated that the complicated processes had often encouraged
corruption.
Tangni complained on the lack of a central market in Jos and explained that the situation had forced entrepreneurs into street trading and hawking, which had also led
to negative social vices and loss of revenue to government.
He advised government to rehabilitate existing central markets and establish new ones, while affordable stalls should be constructed and fairly shared to deserving traders.
NAN.
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