09 May 2016

Permanent secretary in the Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry, Ms Peggy Serame, has implored residents of villages in the Kgalagadi District to take advantage of services offered by the newly opened CEDA office in Hukuntsi.

Speaking at the official opening of the facility recently, Ms Serame said it was incumbent on residents in Hukuntsi, Kang and surrounding areas to take advantage of the proximity of the new office and venture into viable and profitable business assisted under CEDA.  

She noted that government set up the agency to empower Batswana and provide financial and technical support for business development with a view of promoting viable and sustainable citizen owned business enterprises.

As such, she said it would be a set back if they would underutilise the new facilities. 

In the past, Ms Serame said, Kgalagadi residents had been accessing CEDA services from Kanye. 

CEDA, she said, had invested P81.2 million in the Kgalagadi District, out of which P28m and P53.2m were invested in Kgalagadi north and south respectively.

She added that P65.7m was also used to fund agricultural businesses while the remaining 17 per cent was invested in services, property and manufacturing businesses. 

Thus, she urged residents in the district to approach CEDA and other institutions for funding.  

Meanwhile, Ms Serame urged government departments to support businesses in the Economic Diversification Drive (EDD) initiative as well as in the establishment of Special Economic Zones (SEZs), which were important players in promotion of both domestic and foreign direct investments. 

Such programmes, she said, were supported by the Economic Stimulus Programme (ESP) and would go a long way in stimulating economy going forward as well as inject much needed boost to the economy.

Again, she said, implementation of ESP would create jobs, especially in the construction sector in the rural areas. 

“In the same vein, youth owned construction companies and individual youths with vocational skills in maintenance said should be given priority in the implementation of the ESP through the Youth Empowerment Reservation Programme,” she said. 

Currently, she added, the programme reserved 15 per cent of minor maintenance budget of government facilities for youth companies and youth with vocational skills in construction. ENDS