BY MBONO MDLULI
MBABANE – The business community should come to the party and work with Government in uprooting corruption.
This was said by Prime Minister Russell Mmiso Dlamini today (April 11, 2024) when he met with the country’s business people at Business Eswatini (BE) Head Offices in Mafini, at the Malagwane Hill. Dlamini urged the business leaders to ensure that corrupt people were removed from the business sector.
Speaking about the meeting on his Facebook page, the premier said nothing would deter him or Government from fighting corruption in the country. “I urged businesses not to be complicit with corruption and corrupt individuals and asked that they work with His Majesty’s Government to fight all forms of corruption. No amount of intimidation and misinformation will deter this administration from pursuing this course,” Dlamini said.
Dlamini described the business community as an important partner towards growing the country’s economy, creating sustainable jobs, and alleviating poverty. During this meeting, the prime minister reminded business leaders that Government’s goal was to grow the economy by double digits, a target championed by His Majesty King Mswati III.
To do this, he promised that Government would be an active enabler of economic growth, leading investment and growth through innovative partnership models and strategies. As such, he also promised that Government would put the right policies in place, which did not only include growing local business, but would also be effective in the attraction of large Foreign Direct Investment (FDI).
“We have looked at what other countries have done, and we are so ambitious that we want to do what they have done and beyond,” he said. He further reminded business leaders of the need to be export-driven, being cognisant of Eswatini’s small population. This would call for adhering to international quality standards.
“Eswatini remains the most peaceful and stable country in the region, and we must all take advantage of this fact. I urged the business community to be part of nation building and to promote buying local,” Dlamini added.
He rebuked the recent attacks on perceived foreign-owned businesses and stated that such an act was disappointing and self-defeating to the country’s economic growth agenda. He encouraged the business community and all Emaswati to fight against perpetrators of conflict in the business sector and in the country.
