Debswana wields axe on ‘fronters’

The move comes after the diamond giant engaged external consultants to probe widespread allegations of fronting in the CEEP, with some early estimates suggesting that as much as 90% of participating firms were engaged in the practice.

Hailed as the country’s single largest and most ambitious transfer of value from mining to citizens, the CEEP programme set and exceeded its goal to empower citizen enterprises by redirecting P20 billion in Debswana procurement with the target of creating 20,000 between 2019 and 2024.