Good morning, Ladies and Gentlemen. On behalf of the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE), I feel greatly honoured to be invited as a special guest at the formal launch of your esteemed association—the Guild of Corporate Online Publishers (GOCOP).
For strategic reasons, the Bureau has considered the press as one of its most critical stakeholders in the implementation of economic reforms and the privatization and commercialization program of the Federal Government. This is why this invitation by your association underscores the trust of our fruitful cooperation, and brings to the fore, the remarkable achievements recorded through our collaboration over time.
No doubt, the launch of GOCOP could not have come at a better time than now, given that the world over, online publication has become the vogue; and Nigeria cannot afford to be left behind. That is why we commend your bold initiative to inaugurate the Guild which undoubtedly, is made up of reputable media practitioners with several years of experience with the primary objective of ensuring that online publishers in Nigeria uphold the tenets of journalism and to serve as a platform for peer review.
As you are aware, the Bureau is the secretariat and the policy implementation arm of the National Council on Privatization (NCP) chaired by His Excellent, the Vice Presidency. In this regard, at the beginning of every year, the Bureau takes its work plan to Council for approval before implementation. It should be noted that in over three decades, reform and privatization have been a key economic policy of successive administrations/regards in Nigeria.
As a result of the reforms, privatisation and commercialization, Nigeria has witnessed tremendous inflow of foreign direct investments in various sectors of the Nigeria economy.
It is worthy to note that the advent of democratic governance since 1999, strong foundation was laid for economic reform and attraction of private capital to the national economy.
The first key foundation was the inauguration of the National Council of Privatization; made up of key ministers and critical private sector players in the economy. The Council began with initiation of reforms in the following key sectors of the economy:
Electric Power Sector;
Oil and Gas Sector;
Telecommunications Sector;
Agriculture and Water Resources Sector;
Hospitality/Tourism Sector;
Industry/Manufacturing Sector;
Insurance Sector;
Transport Sector;
Solid Minerals Sector;
Aviation Sector; and
Basic Metals Sector
The Pension Reforms in Public Enterprises,
The Cross Debt Determination and Resolution; and
The Competition and Anti-Trust Reform.
Government believes that the effective implementation of the proposed reform programs will:
Attract private capital; Reduce government and political interference in the running of the economy; and
Clearly define role and functions of participants in the economy.
Recall that the improved telephony which the nation is presently enjoying is a result of such reforms in the sector which produced the Telecom Policy and Legal/Regulatory framework which the NCP/BPE championed in 2000. Through the reforms carried out in the telecommunications sector, Nigeria has moved from about 400,000 telephone lines in 2001 to about 134 million lines in 2015; and the teledensity has increased from estimated 2.5% to 95 percent in a space of 12 years.
Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen, it is gratifying to note that the inauguration of GOCOP today is another eloquent testimony of the successful reform of the telecommunication sector. And the same multiplier effect is expected when the reforms in other sectors of the economy by the federal government are completed.
Once again, on behalf management and staff of the BPE, I congratulate this Guild on this milestone.
Thank you.
Benjamin E. Dikki
Director General.
