• Having multiple licenses is hindering the growth and establishment of enterprising industries.
• Government has done well to give a deadline to BRRA to complete this task.
• BRRA should deliver on what the Minister has asked for.

Zambia Association of Manufacturers (ZAM) has called on Zambia Business Review Regulatory Agency (BRRA) to deliver on government’s directive to collapse multiple licenses into one by end of this month.

Speaking in an interview, Association President Ashu Sagar said the private sector has been asking for the collapsing of multiple licenses into one, as well as ensuring affordability.

Mr. Sagar noted that having multiple licenses is hindering the growth and establishment of enterprising industries, therefore government through Commerce Minister Chipoka Mulenga has done well to give a deadline to BRRA to complete this task.

“We have been asking for the collapsing of multiple licenses into one but the most important thing is that they have to be affordable. We cannot have multiple license like this carry on hindering the growth and establishment of enterprising industries.”

“I think the Minister has done very well to give a deadline to BRRA to complete this task,  and we fully support him on this,” Mr. Sagar stated.

He added that it is the Association’s hope that the Agency will deliver in ensuring that the business licenses are combined into one in a bid to reduce the cost of doing business.

“We hope that BRRA will deliver in making sure that these license are amalgamated into one as we have been asking, and also that the cost of the licenses is adjusted downwards so that we are only dealing with one licensing regime.”

“So it is a very welcome move and we wait for BRRA to be up to the task. We call on BRRA to deliver on what the Minister has asked for,” he added.

Recently, Minister of Commerce, Trade and Industry Chipoka Mulenga, revealed that government is developing a framework to reduce the number of business  licenses that hinder growth.