06 Aug 2017

The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Public Procurement and Asset Disposal Board (PPADB) and the Companies and Intellectual Property Authority (CIPA) creates a platform for dialogue, information sharing and smooth communication between the two entities, says PPADP executive chairperson, Ms Bridget John.

Speaking at the signing ceremony recently, Ms John said the objective of the collaboration was to facilitate the ease of doing business so that both entities would lessen the demand for information on companies where the two entities could share such information between themselves.

She said it also created an opportunity to consider enhancing processes of the two institutions to achieve efficiency.

Ms John added that CIPA had always been an important partner to PPADB given that for them to register contractors or firms seeking to do business with government, such contractors should first be registered with CIPA before they could apply for registration with PPADB.

“In order to implement reservation and price preference schemes in the public procurement, latest information on shareholding and directorship is required. It is also important for PPADB to ensure that when CIPA drops companies from its register for failure to comply with any legal requirements, such information is timely availed to PPADB for appropriate action as such companies would not be allowed to trade,” she said.

She said gone were the days when public institutions were working in silos, saying the use of technology was making it more convenient for entities to collaborate and exchange information to improve turnaround time for service delivery and do away with any redundancies in processes.

She said the scope of cooperation included working together to develop and refine ICT systems that allow for easy information sharing to facilitate the execution of each entities mandate, working together in building the capacity of stakeholders in pursuit of desired outcomes and sharing relevant information to improve efficiency of each parties’ processes relating to registration of contractors and facilitating the implementation of government socio-economic schemes which required companies’ ownership details.

Ms John said for effective cooperation and governance, a joint committee comprising of CIPA and PPADB executive management would be established to oversee the successful implementation of the MoU and timely address any challenges that may arise.

“The MoU will be renewed every two years,” she said.

For his part, the registrar general, Mr Conductor Masena said their quest as CIPA was to simplify the business registration environment in Botswana and make their services accessible to all Batswana.

“It is in this regard that our authority’s vision is to contribute to making Botswana the number one business destination in Africa by the year 2020. We note that in order to achieve this vision, it is essential for CIPA to collaborate and cooperate with all key stakeholders and harness their competitive advantage in order to contribute positively to the ease of doing business in Botswana,” he said.

He said the ideal situation was to drive towards a central companies and business names registry, with reliable data that could be sourced from one central point by all stakeholders.

Mr Masena added that the understanding provided an opportunity for both entities to work together towards supporting the growth of businesses through initiatives such as joint outreach and sensitisation programmes.

“Let me assure you that through our collective efforts and unwavering commitment, we will continue to achieve greater milestones and even set for ourselves stretched but achievable targets, as we continue to seek innovative ways of enhancing our country’s business environment,” he said. ENDS