On Wednesday, executives from Spring Well Trade and Investment challenged Trade and Industry Minister, Dorcas Makgato-Malesu to fast-track the proposed P70 million dry port at Walvis Bay in Namibia, as well as lay the necessary policy framework. “We have done the due diligence and we have put together MoUs with oil majors from Nigeria which we have presented to our ministers, but are still struggling to get answers,” the firm’s CEO, Brian Rengasamy told a meeting of Botswana and Nigerian businesspeople. “We urge the minister to look at this because the trade is available but the logistics are not conducive. “We were quite restive with (Botswana ambassador to Nigeria, Clifford Maribe). The concession for the dry port has not been developed and the Trans Kalahari highway, which is the best, is not being fully utilised.”
Rengasamy and company chair, Jackson Nyamambi told Business Week that their due diligence indicated that seaborne oil products from Lagos to Walvis Bay could take nine days, compared to the 21 days and above to Durban, through which nearly all of Botswana’s fuel enters.
“As business, we can do all the business side and create a supply chain, but government must do its responsibility which is infrastructure development and corridors so that there’s a platform for business to trade and invest,” Rengasamy said.
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