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Prince Sunduzani, Business Reporter
GOVERNMENT has called on cross-border traders to license their operations to ensure smooth movement when conducting their operations in and outside the country’s borders.
Speaking on the side-lines of a recent women capacity building workshop in Bulawayo, acting provincial development officer in the Ministry of Women and Youth Affairs, Mr Nthando Mhlanga, urged women to comply with regional licensing guidelines for them to enter into competitive small-scale export trade within the region.
“If you want to trade in the region you should be licensed so that when you go out of the country you are able to do business without any disturbances, without any challenges,” he said.
“So women traders should also get all the licences for their goods. We have noticed that most of them just trade without requisite papers. So they should go to the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Enterprises Development to get import and export licences.”
Mr Mhlanga advised women to formalise their businesses and develop sound marketing strategies for their businesses to realise significant growth.
The workshop, organised by the Ministry of Women and Youth Affairs, was meant to enlighten women on trade regulations and trade agreements.
The engagement was expected to enhance the capacity of women entrepreneurs to effectively participate and benefit from regional trade integration.
In separate interviews women said they were hesitant to acquire licences because it takes time and money for the process to be complete.
“As women, it’s not that we don’t want to acquire licences, but we have no time to be going around in different offices. It takes a lot of time and money to put everything in place. But from what I’ve learnt so far, I’m seeing the importance of formalising my business in every way possible as this will help me grow,” said Mrs Nomthandazo Moyo.
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