F/town mayor urges businesses to lead economic recovery

FRANCISTOWN: The Mayor of Francistown, Godisang Radisigo has pleaded with “business owners and professionals to unite and think about ways to revive the city’s economy”. Francistown’s economy has been on a downward spiral for over a decade. The city’s economic challenges have largely been attributed to the closure of the Tati Nickel Mining Company in October 2016. COVID-19 has also worsened the situation.

Officiating at the Francistown Business Expo late last week, Radisigo emphasised that there is a need for business owners and professionals in Francistown to work together in a bid to turn around the economy of the city. “I am challenging businesses and professionals to unite and think about the future of local businesses amid the global pandemic,” Radisigo said. The Mayor added: “After two years of fighting challenges posed by the pandemic, it is now time to show how we will come out on the other side of this. If not bigger, at least better and stronger.”

Radisigo also urged members of the community to rally behind Francistown businesses. He emphasised that the survival of the city’s businesses hinges on the backing of members of the community. Furthermore, he urged young entrepreneurs to use the expo to exchange knowledge as well as build smart partnerships to improve their ventures for the benefit of the economic development of the city and by extension the country. Francistown Business Expo is the brainchild of LBN Group led by Lawrence Ntsimanyana. The expo was held under the theme, ‘Promoting SMMEs For Economic Development’. It mainly targeted the youth.

The aim of the expo is to reposition Francistown

as the investment destination of choice and stimulate inter-regional business exchange and also create a platform where corporates, SMMEs, consumers, and investors converge in one place.