18 Mar 2024

Government has been implored to ease regulations of small businesses in order to accelerate growth for Small Micro Medium Enterprises (SMMEs).

Debating the Ministry of Entrepreneurship 2024/25 budget proposals on Thursday, MP for Good Hope/ Mabule, Mr Eric Molale said as the Chema Chema Fund was set to start, Batswana should not be sent from pillar to post concerning trade regulations by different ministries.

He observed that there was over regulation of small businesses especially vendors trading by roadsides.

For instance, Mr Molale said, a vendor plying their trade by the roadside should be regulated on issues of environment and steps should be taken to ensure that they did not encroach road reserve as opposed to eviction and blocking them from trading.

In that regard, he implored relevant ministries dealing with different aspects of trading to come together to ease such.

 Mr Molale also spoke about disparities that favoured importers over the local farmers emphasising that they should be reviewed.

Specially elected MP, Ms Boitumelo Gofhamodimo said it was important to facilitate businesses to build competitiveness in their products in order to achieve value addition and enhance exportation of their goods.She was of the view that in developing value chains, different parts of the economy should be looked into.

Francistown East, MP Mr Buti Billy called for inclusive economy and for targeted sectors of the economy such as creative arts, which he said could be a game changer.

Serowe North MP, Baratiwa Mathoothe called for empowerment and resuscitation of cooperatives such as Swaneng in Serowe, while MP for Gaborone Central, Mr Tumisang Mangwegape-Healey was of the view that big malls around the cities should build apartments for SMMEs so that they too would be encouraged to trade at these malls.

He also hailed the move to ban importation of horticultural produce as a step in right the direction as it empowered farmers. The decision, he said, had led to a wider citizen participation in the agro-business and associated value chains.

Mr Mangwegape-Healy said the move to restrict import on selected vegetables led to reduction of import bill and continued to produce some of the best farmers.

Kanye North MP, Mr Thapelo Letsholo challenged the Ministry to of Entrepreneurship to state the goals and targets of the ministry and to indicate the number of jobs produced by SMMEs in a year.

Bobonong MP, Mr Taolo Lucas argued that there should be a deliberate move to extend Youth Development Fund and other wealth creation schemes to rural communities such as Lekopole, Motlhabaneng, Moletemane and Lentswelemoriti.

In his response, the acting Minister Entrepreneurship Molebatsi Molebatsi said through the wealth creation programme, government intended to prioritise and targeting citizens.

He also said the facility for meat processing would strategically localize value-chain development and optimize the BMC’s production plants

Mr Molebatsi also said he acknowledged the importance of encouraging Batswana to make their products competitive as they ready themselves for the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA)

The 2024/2025 budget proposal for Ministry of Entrepreneurship amount to P1.3 billion. Of the amount, P987.8 million is for recurrent budget while development budget has been budgeted for P332.3 million.  ENDS