Giving a presentation at the Botswana Investment Conference held in Gaborone on Saturday, Radikoko said there is a need to create awareness on the availability of opportunities for starting businesses among the adult population in Botswana. He pointed out that government institutions responsible for promoting entrepreneurship, such as the Citizen Entrepreneurial Development Agency (CEDA) and the Local Enterprise Authority (LEA), need to intensify their promotional efforts. He said this would ensure that the adult population is aware of available sources of funding, training programmes and other government policies that are aimed at stimulating entrepreneurial activities in the country. “There should be reduction in obstacles during the business start-up process and ensuring that expertise can be easily accessed when it is required,” he said.
According to Radikoko, entrepreneurs may be discouraged if they have to follow many rules and procedures, and if they have to report to many administrators, as well as having to spend more time fulfilling the requirements. He urged that the issue of funding sustainable youth and female entrepreneurial initiatives should be top on the government agenda, adding that the Ministry of Youth, Sport and Culture needs to ensure that its support for youth programmes is balanced on the basis of gender.
