BUSINESS OWNERS' PERCEPTION OF EXTENT OF GOVERNMENTS APPLICATION OF SELECTED WORLD BANK EASE OF DOING BUSINESS INDICATORS IN EBONYI STATE

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to ascertain business owners' perception of the extent of government's implementation of selected World Bank Doing Business Indicators in Ebonyi State. The descriptive survey approach was adopted for the study. The population of the study comprised 211 firms registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission and Ministry of Commerce and Industry in Ebonyi State. There was no population sample as the entire Population was used in the study. The instrument used for the study was a questionnaire structured with a 4 point scale. The instrument was validated and tested using the Cronbach Alpha co-efficient which yielded an index of 0.83. Data collected was analysed using mean and standard deviation to answer the research question while t-test was used to answer the hypotheses. The findings showed that, in the perception of business owners, Ebonyi State government's implementation of doing business policy reforms on registration of business, access to credit, payment of taxes and protection of minority investors were to a Low Extent (LE). Also there is no significant difference in the mean response of male and females on the issue of access to credit but they were significant differences in male and female responses on the issues of business start ups, payment of taxes and protection of minority investors. It was concluded that government of Ebonyi State had implemented doing business reform policies in the areas indicated, however, to a Low Extent (LE). It was recommended that government. should invigorate reforms to reduce cost of business registration, increase access to credit, reduce and prevent multiple taxation and provide adequate protection for minority investors in the state in order to improve Ease of Doing Business in the area.