The government spokesperson, Michael Makuei, urged the members of the business community not to overly rely on the government for their sustenance, arguing that doing so has proven to be inconvenient for some of them.
Makuei, who addressed the Juba Economic Conference held in the capital on Monday, implored the traders to widen their net and not only look at government institutions for business opportunities.
Mr Makuei was referring to the tenders whose payments at times take longer to be settled, driving suppliers into a debt hole.
“This is because you have been relying too much on the government in order to make business, that is not business, the fact that you have been given a contract by the government and you do it… that is not business,” said Makuei.
He alleged that there have been complaints among the members of local business community, who accuse the government of contracting foreign businesses. But Makuei said this happens because most of the indigenous businessmen are afraid of taking risks.
“We will not support you because you don’t want to risk…What is business?” he posed. “Business is a risk,” he added.
He gave an example of Ezra Group, a power supplier, which he said started working on power projects when the country just gained independence. He said Ezra incurred losses when some of its cars were damaged during the conflict but that setback did not affect its operations.
“And up to today, he (Ezra) is now supplying electricity in the country because he went through the risks,” he said.
“Nevertheless, he did not give up and say he is a risky business; it is through that he managed to make a profit in the business,” he added.
“Ok, he has made it; where are you? Had you thought of coming in and bringing electricity to Juba who would stop to give you that priority first? should we wait for you? or we should give priority to someone who has started.”
However, the relationship between the government and the local suppliers has been stained by delay in payments, which, according to most traders, has been discouraging.
In the past years, the local suppliers who were contracted by the National Transitional Committee have been demanding their payments after they supplied the body with food items and were yet to be paid.
This year’s economic forum is under the theme “Connectivity for Sustainable Development.”
The forum aims to promote investments from domestic and foreign sources as well as to create employment opportunities for South Sudanese and foreign nationals.
