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Nyirenda calls for govt support to boost business in E/Province

Nyirenda calls for govt support to boost business in E/Province
Written by Christopher Miti in Chipata

EASTERN Province Chamber of Commerce and Industry (EPCCI) chairperson Timothy Nyirenda has said businesses in the province still faces challenges which need government support.

And Commerce deputy minister Richard Taima said the government is committed to seeing that Zambia becomes the best destination for doing business.

During the Private Sector Reform Programme meeting in Chipata on Wednesday, Nyirenda said the processing of applications for the Citizen Economic Empowerment funds needed to be user friendly.

He said the amounts approved at provincial levels needed to be increased from the current K50 million which was the maximum that a province could receive.

Nyirenda said although the processing of papers at Patent and Companies Registration Office (PACRO) had improved, the other procedures after a business had been registered still took too long.

He also said the province only received one third of the electricity required, making it impossible for some industries to be established in the province or expand.

Nyirenda said most of the bad economic conditions affected the Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs).

"For example, financial policies favours large corporation, interest rates are still too high. Some of the policies of large corporations do not encourage competition and affects small businesses especially here in the province for example Zambia Breweries, they have only one agent for soft drinks and one agent for beers in the whole Chipata district. This obviously requires small business operating far from the town centre travel distances to acquire their commodities," he said.

Nyirenda also said Lafarge Cement, until two weeks ago, had only one agent in Chipata.

And Taima said the government wanted to ensure that the private sector had an opportunity to do business, thereby adding value to the country.

He urged the business community in the province to initiate business ventures that the government would support.

Taima said the private sector in Eastern Province should take advantage of the neighbouring countries by doing meaningful business.

Labels: BUSINESS, CHIPATA, EPCCI, TIMOTHY NYIRENDA

posted by MrK @ 4:43 AM