11 Feb 2016

Ministry of Trade and Industry continues to establish economic agencies across the country in an effort to bring service closer to the people, through its parastatals.

Assistant minister, Mr Sadique Kebonang told parliament on Wednesday that the said parastatals are Citizen Entrepreneurial Development Agency (CEDA), Botswana Investment and Trade Centre (BITC) and Local Enterprise Authority (LEA).

“In this regard, Sowa Town is being serviced from Masunga LEA branch, which covers Sowa Town, while CEDA facilitates the township from Francistown,” he said.

In addition, he said, CEDA has introduced a mobile office covering the North East District, Nata, Gweta, Sowa, Dukwi and Kutamogoree. He also noted that the ministry through the BITC has identified Francistown as one of the eight sites for the development of Special Economic Zones (SEZ).

Mr Kebonang said the Francistown SEZ was planned to be developed into a mining supplies and logistics club and therefore Sowa Town would be covered by this facility as it is within 200km radius of Francistown. MP for Nata/Gweta, Mr Polson Majaga had asked the assistant minister if he would consider establishing an Economic Development Agency in Sowa Town town. Ends