Masisi bemoans ease of doing business red- tape
President Mokgweetsi Masisi has vowed to remove bottlenecks and red tape hindering the ease of doing business for potential investors.
Speaking at the launch of the country’s first waste paper recycling factory, located at Nkoyaphiri Industrial in Mogoditshane, Masisi lamented at delays, that Strides of Success, operators of Pulp & Paper Industries, experienced before opening the plant.
The plant is established in line with the country’s efforts to build waste manufacturing industry.
“It should not take us ten years to open up a factory,” said Masisi responding to Strides of Success Director, Ramachandran Ottapathu’s revelation that the idea was conceived in 2013.
The President said issuance of the environmental impact assessment ( EIA) should be prompt.
“Days of delay are behind us and should never come back, we are never going to take long to open a factory. EIA should take a few months to be done,” said Masisi.
He emphasized that all regulatory boxes should be ticked in months and weeks, reiterating the need to improve efficiency in helping companies comply with regulations.
On the other hand, the Minister of Trade and Industry, Mmusi Kgafela has implored investors in and outside the country to use Botswana’s One Stop Service Centre ( BOSSC) an investment facilitation center under Botswana Investment Trade Centre ( BITC) to expedite setting up of their business.
“It is an effective and efficient channel to help expand your business,” said Kgafela.
Meanwhile, Masisi said the factory aligns to the country’s environmental goals stipulated in Vision 2036, the national development blueprint.
He said the government is committed to creating a strong waste management industry, then collecting and baling for export to South Africa and other nations.
“This factory should unlock opportunities for small to medium scale entrepreneurs, not the current prevailing situation of exporting jobs to neighboring countries, as we do not have much benefit for our waste,” said Masisi.
He highlighted that Botswana lags behind on appreciating separation of waste at source.
“We have no strong culture of waste management,” said Masisi, imploring the nation to desist from haphazardly throwing waste by the roadside.
Sharing the President’s sentiments, the Minister of Trade and Industry, Mmusi Kgafela also urged the nation to embrace new ways of doing things.
“Let us get rid of the mindset that waste belongs to the dump- site, and
create the much needed employment from waste management, while contributing to the green economy,” said Kgafela, warning that methane gas emanating from waste has a serious contribution to global warming.
He encouraged the country to leverage on the new waste paper processing plant to benefit communities and the businesses that need raw materials.