ZANIS COPY – Government works towards reducing costs of doing business

Government works towards reducing costs of doing business

Solwezi, February 9, ZANIS —- Government says it is doing everything possible to ensure that it reduces the cost of doing business in the country.

 Commerce and Trade Minister Robert Sichinga said in Solwezi that government is still committed to ensuring that people incur minimum costs when doing business by lowering taxes and ensuring they have meaningful incomes at their disposal.

Mr Sichinga said his ministry is in the process of reviewing the Companies Act so that it is harmonised with the requirements in the Citizens Economic Empowerment Commission (CEEC) and the Zambia Development Agency (ZDA) Act to facilitate operational partnerships between local businesses partner and foreign companies.   

Mr Sichinga urged the informal sector to take advantage of the review of the companies’ law to formalise their operations so that it can access services that CEEC and ZDA are offering.  

Mr Sichinga said this when he opened the Patents and Companies Registration Agency PACRA regional in Solwezi yesterday.

He said the opening of a PACRA office in North Western province was a demonstration that the PF government want to provide services to all the people regardless of provinces where it has or no members of parliament.

And Provincial Minister Steven Masumba said in a speech read for him by Permanent Secretary Augustine Seyuba that the opening of the PACRA office in the province will open up a lot of business opportunities for the business community in the region.

Mr Masumba said the region has recorded an increase in the number of young people running businesses in various sectors who will feel encouraged to formalise their business by registering with PACRA.  

PACRA Board Chairperson William Nyirenda said the agency has prioritised the modernisation of registration processes and has invested heavily in information technology infrastructure.

Mr Nyirenda said this is meant to offer the full range of registration services electronically.