Muchinga Province Permanent Secretary, Bright Nundwe, has commended the Cross Border Traders Association (CBTA) for opening an information desk at Nakonde Border Post.
Speaking when he officiated at the launch of CBTA information desk, Mr Nundwe said that Nakonde border is extremely open with numerous undesignated points rendering revenue collection a daunting task.
He said the coming of CBTA information desk must contribute to educating citizens from both Zambia and Tanzania to appreciate crossing the border at designated pointMr Nundwe urge the CBTA information desk to help cross border traders to shift from conducting informal trade to formalised cross border business through sensitisation.
And CBTA Chairman General, Charles Kakoma, said the association is set to supplement government’s effort in curbing smuggling in all border areas of the country.
Mr Kakoma challenged all well-meaning stakeholders to support this initiative as it provides for enhanced trade flow, reduce poverty, and create an enabling environment for collection of statistics which are vital for the government economic planning.
And Nakonde District Council Chairperson, Patrick Mungoi, applauded Tanzanian authorities who came to witness the launch of the information desk by CBTA.
Mr Mungoi observed that there is need to sensitise both Zambia and Tanzanian traders on the importance of the information desk that will operate at the border.
He has since appealed to the Ministry of Commerce Trade and Industry to devise a mechanism with Zambia Revenue Authority (RZA) to see to it that small scale traders do their business in a more user-friendly manner.
Is it another shack with blue paint?