Decentralise tenders, Francistown businesspeople plead

Lesedi Mkhutshwa | Friday February 21, 2020 15:17

 

Decentralise tenders, Francistown businesspeople plead

The call was made in response to presentations about the state of the country’s competitiveness and Doing Business Reforms held by the Botswana National Productivity Centre (BNPC) recently.

Contributing to the debate, Francistown Knitters sales and marketing manager, Atamelang Ditiro said decentralising the award of tenders would stimulate regional local businesses.

He stated that in most cases, major tenders such as supplying medical workers at the Institute of Health Sciences students’ uniforms are done in Gaborone and favour “a certain group of people”.

 “In some cases clothing manufacturers travel long distances to go and apply for tenders such as supplying combat gear. The tender will be worth around P50 million and yet will only benefit one company,” he said. Ditiro said the tendering process should be divided and spread across regions so that potential bidders could save costs and have a fair chance of winning.

“If the tender was to be divided according to regions there would be higher chances of Francistowners benefiting while also saving on costs,” he said.

Francistown District Commissioner, Chabongwa Matseka agreed that decentralising the award of tenders would help boost the region’s economy.

“The biggest tenders from different ministries should be decentralised for the development of our city, which is currently not performing well economically,” she said.

“Manufacturing industries in Francistown are struggling and should be trained on enhancing their quality so as to compete with brands outside the country.” Zila Investment representative, Rebonyeng Hick further called on government to ring fence emerging businesses and industries in the country.

“It is high time government close the borders on importation of detergents.

“If government closed the importation of detergents it would help local suppliers make more profit. “Local business producing detergents are suffering and running at a loss.

“Some of them are on the verge of collapsing.”

BNPC manager, Jennifer Kgosi, however, advised that the centralisation of tenders under the ambit of the Public Procurement and Asset Disposal Board was done to avoid issues of splitting procurement.