Mozambique: “Parasite” employees scare away investors – Zandamela

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Mozambique: “Parasite” employees scare away investors – Zandamela

1:41 CAT | 04 Apr 2019

File photo: Lusa

The governor of the Bank of Mozambique, Rogério Zandamela, believes that some public servants scare away foreign investors who are looking for business opportunities in the country, by demanding the payment of commissions to process their applications.

The accusation was made in the closing session of the Central Bank Consultative Council, recently held in Quelimane, central Zambezia, Notícias reports.

According to Zandamela, a change of mentality in these public servants was fundamental to improving the business environment in the country.

“The reason why things do not progress in our country is because the people in charge of ensuring that the processes work do not let that happen, because they think that for it to happen, they should receive ‘their part’. … So , we are going nowhere,” Zandamela said, noting that, over two decades of creating the legal framework for the Special Economic Zones programme in Mozambique and more than a decade after its implementation, its impact remains marginal.

“The problem is that there are public officials who think that when investors come to Mozambique they are full of money and willing to deliver these resources easily. That way, if we do not change our behaviour, only certain projects can move forward; but those who have an impact on micro-finance, small businesses, will go nowhere because they do not generate fabulous profits to pay for these parasites,” Zandamela said.

He also referred to the need for the various players involved in improving the business environment in the country to work in concert, which can be consummated through the elaboration of a master plan.

“It’s no use for the different sectors to work in isolation, because things will go nowhere. If EDM (Mozambique Electricity), the water sector, the Tax Authority, the provincial government, the municipality or the district do not do their part, things will not get anywhere and the investor will go away, because for them time is money, and they will look for opportunities elsewhere,” Zandamela warned.

Source: Lusa