Amutse says informal sector helped build today’s professionals

By: Envaalde Matheus

Industries minister Modestus Amutse says the same informal activities that are often viewed as a problem have helped sustain families and create opportunities for people who are now in professional and government positions.

Amutse told the 30 appointed members of the National Steering Committee on the Informal Economy on Friday that the formalisation of the informal sector must be designed around local realities and the needs of people.

Statistics show that the informal sector accounts for 58% of employment, contributes 24.7% to GDP, and leaves 80% of its workers financially excluded.

Amutse said that policymakers must stop designing solutions from behind desks and involve people on the ground, in shaping policies that affect them.

He said many professionals are too focused on academia and research, while losing sight of the people whose livelihoods helped create the opportunities they now enjoy.

Industries ministry deputy director for regional economic development Pinehas Shinyala said formalisation must come with incentives, including cheaper registration, better access to finance and market, social protection and suitable trading infrastructure.

Amutse said formalisation should not be about forcing informal businesses into compliance, but about creating opportunities for them to grow, adding the new committee will not be judged by the meetings it holds, but by the lives it changes.

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