Kenya National Chamber of Commerce (KNCCI) president Mr Richard Ngatia is seeking a second term as the chamber’s president has promised to finish the programs he started in his first term if re-elected.
The top program includes empowering women and youths in business by enabling them to access loans and use digital space to sell their products.
“I have also come to announce several programs that we have put in place as chamber, some have expired and renewed them to the second phase just to see how our members will thrive in business,” he clarified
Addressing chambers delegates Busia chapter Mr Ngatia said there is a need for business people in Busia to venture into value addition, cottage industries and hydroponics.
“We wish to encourage business community especially our members and mostly youths and women to join what we call hydroponics farming technology, that way they will be able to produce and grow vegetables from the comfort of their homes,” he noted
Through Mastercard foundation, Mr Ngatia said they have spent sh15 million shillings to distribute among the Chambers members in Busia in uplifting their businesses.
“Through MasterCard foundation we supported more than 18,000 members in micros, small and medium enterprises to get small facilitation of interest free loans where we managed to dispatch sh53 billion within eight months and paid back in time but in the second phase we plan to support 500,000 members of the chamber,” he noted
However Mr Ngatia challenged the county government to address issues of pending bills adding that most members who are businessmen and women invested heavily in county government projects are yet to receive their payment
“One area I wish to appeal to the county government to do is the area of pending bills. If governor can be able to support and release the pending bills to our member who did business with the county government it will unlock a lot of things in their lives,” he noted
He added, “We are talking about how we can support small and medium enterprises in the county. Most of them face challenges in terms of working capital and information, which is why we have partnered with several entities to train them on financial related information.”
Ngatia challenged businessmen and women based in Busia to invest in the export processing zones immediately advertised.
The Busia community has been called upon to capitalize on the industrial processing zones which expected at Nasewa, Matayos sub-county.
“In export processing zones, any member within several sectors will be able to get there and invest. The local investors will get the same benefits as the foreign investors at the zone,” he said
According to vice chairman the chamber, Busia chapter Mr Raphael Emusala they will support Mr Ngatia’s bid for a second term to run for office as chamber’s president, adding that in his first term, he initiated projects and programs that uplifted the lives of businessmen and women countrywide.
“As business community in Busia we have a lot of gains from the chamber that uplifted the lives of our members and their families,” said Mr Emusala