GOVERNMENT has drafted a plant protection regulatory authority (PPRA) bill in a bid to reduce the cost of doing business in tobacco, cotton and coffee industries.
Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives technical services deputy director Moses Mwale said Government wants to improve the climate in which the private sector can operate after the business licence reform programme under Cabinet office made several recommendations.
“The cost of doing business is high because people get so many licences from other ministries, so we want to put all these in order, and bring everything under one roof,” he said.
He said this at a stakeholders’ consultative meeting on the formulation of the PPRA bill in Lusaka yesterday.
Mr Mwale said Government in consultation with key stakeholders is hoping to repeal some Acts for tobacco, cotton and coffee while other Acts such as the plant and pest and diseases Act, plant variety and seeds Act, the noxious weeds and plant breeders Acts, among others, can be repealed and replaced.
He said Cabinet embarked on a programme to reduce the number of licences issued by line ministries to ensure the time and cost of doing business is reduced.
The repeal and replacement is intended to make Zambia an investment destination and a preferred country for doing business.
Mr Mwale said after stakeholder consultation, it is hoped that the bill will be presented to Cabinet for ratification and in the next Parliament sitting for enactment.
Some of the salient features in the draft bill included are to regulate the issuance of permits, licence and other documents to facilitate agriculture trade and enforcement of compliance.
The bill seeks to establish the PPRA to regulate and promote the growth of agriculture and contribute to food security, job creation and income generation.
The Act shall also provide for the establishment of the specialised commodity technical committees which will be responsible for the non- regulatory functions of the repealed Acts to further the promotion and development of the cotton, tobacco and coffee sectors and any other commodity that may require to be regulated.
[Zambia Daily Mail]
Zambias twin, sister or cousin towers.
Sounds progressive. The only problem is when these acts are repealed and/or amended, the reduced cost of doing business does not benefit the local Zambian enterpreneur, but them foreigners and a chosen few in the reins of power.
ZANACO building is clean like MMD. Findeco like Poor Finishers. Sata is siick
Intersting ey. Still expecting to be in govt next year?
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