By Nyasha Mutena
Harare, Zimbabwe. – (News Of The South) -The Deputy Minister of Industry and Commerce, Hon Raj Modi has urged the Public Procurement entities to provide opportunities and an assurance of domestic demand for locally produced goods and services as this will enable local industries to scale up production and benefit from economies of scale so that locally produced products will be able to compete against foreign products on both quality and price.
Officiating the 4th National Public Procurement Conference held at the Rainbow towers this afternoon, Hon Modi said it is imperative that local companies take local content development into account in their projects and strategic planning initiatives to enhance local procurement by public institutions as this will ensure the local manufactures benefit and their products are promoted.
Minister Raj Modi
Hon Modi said there will be more awareness programs throughout the country to appraise various stakeholders and consumers on the importance of making and consuming local products.
“The awareness programme has already started and road shows are currently being held in partnership with buy Zimbabwe and the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC),” He said.
Hon Modi commented gatherings such as this kind saying it provides an important platform to raise awareness among decision makers, procurement entities, suppliers and other stakeholders on the importance of local procurement with an emphasis on innovation, social responsibility and sustainability.
Buy Zimbabwe CEO, Mr Munyaradzi Hwengwere said there should be transparency in terms of the share allocations directed to the local enterprises to ensure that production can be assessed accurately.
Mr John Chakasikwa, Executive Assistant to the Commissioner General at ZIMRA applauded the move to promote local products saying it will enable the tax base to go up and ensure all the foreign currency that is being taken by foreign companies to be retained.
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