06 Feb 2019

Director of industrial affairs in the Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry, Ms Obusitswe Tiroesele, has urged  small, micro and medium enterprises(SMMEs) to be competitive in price, service delivery and quality.

Speaking at the First National Bank of Botswana (FNBB) annual budget review  seminar, Ms Tiroesele said  SMMEs should be able to supply services and products as required.

She said government had decided to use its high purchasing power to procure locally produced goods and services from SMMEs as way of developing a competitive private sector which could stand on its own without the support of government.

Therefore, she encouraged producers and manufacturers to avoid augmenting their production with imports, “because you are creating a job elsewhere.”

“We know very well that we have a small industry base, but for us to develop the industry base we have to buy our own produced products to create jobs for our citizens,” she said.

“However, as much as government is intending to buy locally produced or manufactured goods and services, let’s also ensure that we produce quality products, meet tendering requirements and continuous supply,” she added.

Ms Tiroesele further said it was important that implications of the national allocations to different industries were unpacked and discussed to afford Small, Micro and Medium Enterprises (SMMEs) a platform that would give them insightful information to better run their businesses.

Following Minister of Finance and Economic Development, Mr Kenneth Matambo’s announcement that P45.1 billion had been set aside to create jobs, of which majority would come from SMMEs, Ms Tiroesele said it was important that SMMEs understood  how they could benefit from government procurement.

The seminar that was divided into three sessions was meant to identify opportunities that SMMEs could take advantage of in order to contribute to the country’s economic activities.

Other issues tackled at the forum, included; how procurement and tendering processes be made less onerous, what capacity building could be undertaken to enhance successful participation of local businesses in local procurements, and how VAT filling and paying taxes could be made more convenient for tax payers.

Participants gave insights and shared aspirations and strategies on economic development issues in relation to the national budget.

The three sessions covered topics such as; SMME collaboration, expanding horizons: industrialisation and facilitating sustainable development goals through prudent fiscal management, which looked at the world of business taxes, dos and don’ts of procurement and tendering, emerging technology and innovation and inspirational entrepreneurs’ insights. ENDS