Kaapanda wants small entrepreneurs to flourish

OKAHANDJA – Works, Transport and Communications Minister Joel Kaapanda says it is time for Government to intervene to ensure equity and fairness in industry growth through small entrepreneurs.

Speaking at the official ground-breaking ceremony on the trunk road 7/1 between Okahandja and Karibib on Friday, he noted that his Ministry and the Roads Authority (RA) were planning to encourage and empower small road contractors. “Needless to say that the road construction and maintenance sector provides lucrative business opportunities for Namibians, especially the small contractor.It is saddening to observe that due to circumstances beyond the small contractors, [tenders] from N$10 million to over N$100 million are awarded to a few big construction companies,” he said.He said the Government would put emphasis on unbundling big projects into smaller work units to provide more equity.Kaapanda said it was Government’s policy to encourage big companies to mentor small contractors to obtain the necessary skills to grow and meaningfully contribute to the economic development of the country.His ministry and RA are in the process of planning a workshop for small contractors with the participation of commercial banks and the Development Bank of Namibia, to discuss how to empower small contractors to gain access to loans for plant and equipment.Said the Minister: “Government will guarantee work for the small contractor for the loan period because we believe that the participation of the small contractors will not only ensure that their goals, which are about acquiring capability, capacity and skills, are met but also governmental objectives of job creation, poverty reduction, economic growth, amongst others.”I wish to emphasise that Government wants to see the growth of small contractors in the road sector.”The project, which tarted on February 1 2008, is expected to be completed on April 30 2010.The project, estimated to cost some N$290 million, is a joint venture between Nexus (Pty) Limited and Namibian Construction.The consultant of the project is VKE Namibia Consulting Engineers.Smaller projects worth more than N$40 million have been earmarked to be subcontracted to local small-scale contractors.It is the first time that a project of this magnitude has been awarded to a wholly owned Namibian contractor.Nampa”Needless to say that the road construction and maintenance sector provides lucrative business opportunities for Namibians, especially the small contractor.It is saddening to observe that due to circumstances beyond the small contractors, [tenders] from N$10 million to over N$100 million are awarded to a few big construction companies,” he said.He said the Government would put emphasis on unbundling big projects into smaller work units to provide more equity.Kaapanda said it was Government’s policy to encourage big companies to mentor small contractors to obtain the necessary skills to grow and meaningfully contribute to the economic development of the country.His ministry and RA are in the process of planning a workshop for small contractors with the participation of commercial banks and the Development Bank of Namibia, to discuss how to empower small contractors to gain access to loans for plant and equipment.Said the Minister: “Government will guarantee work for the small contractor for the loan period because we believe that the participation of the small contractors will not only ensure that their goals, which are about acquiring capability, capacity and skills, are met but also governmental objectives of job creation, poverty reduction, economic growth, amongst others.”I wish to emphasise that Government wants to see the growth of small contractors in the road sector.”The project, which tarted on February 1 2008, is expected to be completed on April 30 2010.The project, estimated to cost some N$290 million, is a joint venture between Nexus (Pty) Limited and Namibian Construction.The consultant of the project is VKE Namibia Consulting Engineers.Smaller projects worth more than N$40 million have been earmarked to be subcontracted to local small-scale contractors.It is the first time that a project of this magnitude has been awarded to a wholly owned Namibian contractor.Nampa