The ManicaPost
Business Correspondent
POLICY reform is now the next step needed to take businesses to the next level of growth, which is what we are pushing for, the Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce regional manageress for Manicaland and Chiredzi has said.
Ms Perpetual Guwila said this on Wednesday ahead of this year’s annual awards slated for June 16, which will be running under the theme: “Consolidating the new normal economy through policy reform.” “The economy is currently on a growth trajectory since the Zim-Asset drive in 2013 after companies had struggled to adjust to dollarisation in 2009. However, as a chamber we are now saying Zim-Asset’s quick wins are on course and the new economy under Small to Medium Enterprises is growing, but we now need coherence on policies to further augment economic growth,” said Ms Guwila.
Ms Guwila said Statutory Instrument 64 of 2016 that regulated the import of certain goods was a positive policy reform with the interests of propelling industrial growth. In Manicaland, the instrument actually impelled the set up of a new soap and cooking oil firm, Willowton which is part of the Willowton Group based in South Africa. “More policy reforms need to be aligned to propel initiatives such as the Buy Zimbabwe Campaign which encourage local production. We are on track as a nation, but more needs to be done to hasten policy reforms and ensure that the 2018 Zim-Asset 2.2 million jobs target is achieved.”
She said this year’s awards would identify new enterprises and would as usual recognise outstanding companies and businesspersons that have stood the test of time. “This week and next week we are continuing with the adjudication process. We want to make sure that we visit all the districts in Manicaland and identify businesses doing well in various sectors. The aim is not for competition, but to acknowledge individuals or companies for their efforts in business.
‘‘We always say though in some categories there will be one ultimate winner, all the nominees are winners at the end of day because they would have been identified by some people and made on the final list,” she said.
