Uptick in private sector participation in Northern Trade Fair
Monday, May 29, 2023 | 150 Views |
Speaking out: Moleele says the numbers of private sector exhibitors at the Northern Trade Fair was reasonable PIC: KENNEDY RAMOKONE
However, the latest Fair, held here at the Business Botswana Show Grounds in Gerald Estates, has experienced an uptick in the private sector participation. The fair was held under the theme, “Promoting Economic Growth Through Industrialisation”.
While speakers who spoke before the CEO of Business Botswana (BB), Norman Moleele, bemoaned the low participation of the private sector in the fair, Moleele brought numbers to dispel that notion.
Whilst celebrating milestones in inclusivity, with notably P5 billion awarded to vulnerable groups, the report sounds a 'siren' on a dangerous and growing trend: the ballooning use of micro-procurement. That this method, designed for small-scale, efficient purchases, now accounts for a staggering 25% (P8 billion) of total procurement value is not a sign of agility, but a 'red flag'. The PPRA’s warning is unequivocal and must be...