The Sunday News
Wilson Dakwa, Business Reporter
THE Ministry of Small and Medium Enterprises and Co-operative Development is on a drive to promote rural entrepreneurship and industrialisation through by building industrial parks at all the country’s growth points.
In an interview, SMEs and Co-operative Minister Sithembiso Nyoni said every growth point must have an industrial park.
“As a ministry, we want to promote rural industrialisation and entrepreneurship so as to alleviate rural poverty. For rural entrepreneurship to grow, locals need to manufacturer products locally and then sell to other villagers and surrounding areas. Every growth point must have an SMEs industrial park because these are our new towns,” said Minister Nyoni.
According to the 2012 population census result report, Zimbabwe’s population stands at 13 061 239, up from 11 634 663 in 2002, with about 67 percent of the population residing in the rural areas while 33 percent is in the urban areas.
Minister Nyoni added that banks have since approached her ministry, offering to build the industrial parks.
“Bubi district has already begun preparing to build their industrial park, may you give us your plans because there are banks which have approached my ministry and vouched to build the industrial parks. All those who have growth points in their areas must look for land where manufacturers can produce products.
“They (banks) want to see growth points being catered for, especially for manufacturers to promote value addition to complement growth points as trading centres. We need to consider value adding our cattle, honey, and leather. Having the infrastructure will make value addition processes easier,” she said.
Minister Nyoni expressed gratitude over the 20 percent tax revenue which SMEs are contributing towards the nation’s fiscus.
She said the contribution was catalysed by Zimbabwe Revenue Authority’s moratorium in January for SMES to register for Value Added Tax before 30 June without being charged penalties.
“The more we work with Zimra as businesspeople and not people who view Zimra as the enemy, the more growth we will get in the SMEs sector,” she said.
Cde Nyoni said an inter-ministerial committee has since been set up to assist her ministry to grow.
“Every ministry is now involved through the Inter-Ministerial Committee to assist in the formalisation and operations of SMEs. The Committee has representatives from Ministry of Women Affairs, Gender and Community Development, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Youth, Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment, Ministry of Information Communication Technology, Postal and Courier Services and others,” said Cde Nyoni.
