30 Oct 2022

Government, private and parastatal organisations have been urged to buy goods and services offered in the SPEDU region in order to resuscitate the economy of Selebi Phikwe and the region

Speaking at a one-day SPEDU expo at Sam Sono Stadium in Selebi Phikwe Thursday, the acting chief executive officer of SPEDU, Mr Jazenga Uezesa said buying services and goods from the region would create employment, aid industrialisation and contribute to government coffers through taxes.

SPEDU, in collaboration with the Local Enterprise Authority (LEA), Citizen Entrepreneurial Development Agency (CEDA) and Botswana Investment Trade Centre (BITC) brought together manufacturers operating in the region as well as potential buyers under one roof to share ideas and market products and services offered in the region.

The expo was aimed at raising awareness about the products and services found in the SPEDU region and creating a platform for business to business engagements.

SPEDU was established to lure and facilitate investors to set up and operate in the region, which covers five constituencies of Selebi Phikwe East, Selebi Phikwe West, Bobonong, Mmadinare and Lerala/Maunatlala. Mr Uezesa said for entrepreneurs in the region to enjoy economies of scale, they had to procure from them. He said the effect of another P10 on a product manufactured in the region was massive, adding that it would contribute to employment figures and industrialisation.

Mr Uezesa also noted that government was aiding entrepreneurs operating in the SPEDU region. He cited the investment incentives introduced to encourage economic growth and job creation.

He also noted the 30 per cent direct government offtake on procurement of at least 30 per cent of goods from the SPEDU region.

However, Mr Uezesa said some of the products produced in the region were not yet certified by Botswana Bureau of Standards BOBS, but were of high quality. He also said BOBS was still working on developing standards for some products.

Selebi Phikwe mayor, Mr Lucas Modimana said the one-day expo was important because SPEDU, the business community and residents were working towards resuscitating the economy of the copper-nickel town.

He urged SPEDU manufactures to sign contracts and deals with procuring entities. He also urged companies operating in the SPEDU region to be competitive and to trade globally, saying depending on government was not enough.

Ministry of Entrepreneurship Deputy Permanent Secretary, Mr Lameck Nthekela said the Public Procurement Act required that procuring entities should fully account for their activities.

He explained that the entities included central government, local authorities, land boards, parastatal organisations and entities funded by government.

Procuring entities, he said, should procure at least 30 per cent of their goods and services from companies based in the SPEDU region.

He also said only goods and services under agriculture, manufacturing, Information and Communication Technology and tourism were entitled to benefit from the incentive. He added that the goods and services should, however, be priced competitively and should be of an acceptable standard and quality.  ENDS