Online Reporter
Zvamaida Murwira
Senior Reporter
The Ministry of Industry and Commerce must complete an inclusive Wholesale and Retail Sector Policy as part of initiatives to sustain the significant progress registered in that area, President Mnangagwa has said.
The President said this today in his keynote address during the commissioning of the Greenfields Retail Centre, a state-of-the-art retail hub in the capital.
“To sustain the progress in this sector, the Ministry of Industry and Commerce is directed to complete the Wholesale and Retail Sector Policy. I exhort business leaders, entrepreneurs and consumers alike to participate in the stakeholder consultations,” said President Mnangagwa.
He commended the retail sector for being one of the reliable sources of employment in the country.
“The retail sector is applauded for being a reliable source of employment, wealth creation and investment. Development of entities such as this Greenfields Retail Centre should inspire many more entrepreneurs to create jobs, stimulate demand for local manufacturing and provide platforms for formalised business activity,” said President Mnangagwa.
He said there is a need to ensure retail malls are stocked with locally produced goods.
“My Government is intensifying our economic sovereignty. Under NDS2, our goal entails that malls should not be full of imported goods, but with quality ‘Made in Zimbabwe’ products, reflective of our nation’s industrial capacity,” said President Mnangagwa.
The commissioning of Greenfields Retail Centre marked another significant milestone in the growth of Zimbabwe’s retail, real estate and commercial sector in line with the National Development Strategy 2.
The new retail mall is expected to enhance convenience for residents, create employment opportunities, and stimulate local economic activity and growth, thus contributing to the country’s Gross Domestic Product.
The spacious area, located near the Zimbabwe Agricultural Show Grounds, comprises retail outlets, fast foods, banking facilities and mobile service providers, among other facilities.
It is a public-private partnership between the Zimbabwe Agricultural Society and a consortium of private investors.
The project dovetails with the Government’s thrust of a private sector-led economy through the formalisation of economic activities.
