Chamber of Commerce plans 3-year strategy

THE Namibia Chamber of Commerce and Industry (NCCI) is compiling a three-year strategic plan to guide the organisation’s operations.

Speaking at a meeting organised by the NCCI management to meet with Windhoek businesses on Tuesday evening, NCCI Chief Executive Officer Tarah Shaanika said the organisation was currently soliciting views from stakeholders on the strategic plan. The plan, being made in line with national programmes such as Vision 2030, is scheduled to be completed by the end of this month.The NCCI management was continuing with visits to its branches countrywide with the main aim of holding discussions on issues affecting branches, familiarising and updating them with various NCCI services and exchanging views on how the organisation could best assist members and strengthen the activities of its branches.The NCCI, as an umbrella body for all local businesses, said it saw fit to conduct such visits to meet and discuss issues affecting businesses with members and relevant stakeholders.At the meeting, concerns were raised by the business community on the difficulties of trying to do business in neighbouring Angola.They called for business agreements that were signed by the two governments last year to be ratified to ease the trade and investment difficulties being experienced by local businesspeople intending to set up businesses in Angola.Shaanika said his organisation had been strongly lobbying the Government on this issue and there was ‘strong commitment’ that the agreements would be ratified soon.He said the NCCI was also in talks on the matter with its counterpart organisation in Angola.Shaanika identified weaknesses within NCCI, which he said could be addressed by embarking on quarterly membership satisfaction surveys, a membership recruitment drive, restructuring of branches for effective output, special services for small and medium-sized enterprises and capacity building within the NCCI secretariat for good service delivery.It was also pointed out that there was a need for better communication between members and the organisation.The NCCI is proposing a structure for its organisation with five administrative regional centres, namely the North Central, North Eastern, Central, Western and Southern.To date the NCCI management has visited Omaruru, Swakopmund, Walvis Bay, Rehoboth, Ongwediva and Gobabis.The visits to existing branches across the country are part of the chamber’s membership drive.The chamber currently has about 2 000 members, and aims to increase this to 3 000 by year-end.The plan, being made in line with national programmes such as Vision 2030, is scheduled to be completed by the end of this month.The NCCI management was continuing with visits to its branches countrywide with the main aim of holding discussions on issues affecting branches, familiarising and updating them with various NCCI services and exchanging views on how the organisation could best assist members and strengthen the activities of its branches.The NCCI, as an umbrella body for all local businesses, said it saw fit to conduct such visits to meet and discuss issues affecting businesses with members and relevant stakeholders.At the meeting, concerns were raised by the business community on the difficulties of trying to do business in neighbouring Angola.They called for business agreements that were signed by the two governments last year to be ratified to ease the trade and investment difficulties being experienced by local businesspeople intending to set up businesses in Angola.Shaanika said his organisation had been strongly lobbying the Government on this issue and there was ‘strong commitment’ that the agreements would be ratified soon.He said the NCCI was also in talks on the matter with its counterpart organisation in Angola.Shaanika identified weaknesses within NCCI, which he said could be addressed by embarking on quarterly membership satisfaction surveys, a membership recruitment drive, restructuring of branches for effective output, special services for small and medium-sized enterprises and capacity building within the NCCI secretariat for good service delivery.It was also pointed out that there was a need for better communication between members and the organisation.The NCCI is proposing a structure for its organisation with five administrative regional centres, namely the North Central, North Eastern, Central, Western and Southern.To date the NCCI management has visited Omaruru, Swakopmund, Walvis Bay, Rehoboth, Ongwediva and Gobabis. The visits to existing branches across the country are part of the chamber’s membership drive.The chamber currently has about 2 000 members, and aims to increase this to 3 000 by year-end.