UNITED Refineries Limited (URL) chief executive officer, Busisa Moyo is the new Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries (CZI) president, taking over from Charles Msipa. Moyo was elected last week along with deputies, Sifelani Jabangwe and Tracy Mutaviri, at the CZI annual general meeting held in the capital. Prior to his election, Moyo was CZI Matabeleland Chapter president while Jabangwe was Mashonaland Chapter president. Moyo assumes the reins of the industrial body at a time when the country is grappling with finding lasting solutions to steer vibrant economic growth in an environment characterised by liquidity challenges. However, Moyo is confident of turning the fortunes of the business environment, highlighting that CZI will continue to lobby the government for a conducive environment for business to grow, particularly the cost of doing business. “The operating environment for business in terms of cost and how easy it is to do business in Zimbabwe remains a big concern to players,” said Moyo. “Opening a factory, there are a myriad of permits and processes that one has to go through. “We think that should be made easier so that we can allow new business to come up.” The new president said CZI was lobbying government to scrap certain permits and licences required before setting up shop. “Zimbabwe has to look at power tariffs, water charges and excessive operating permits and taxes to encourage the growth of business,” said Moyo. According to the World Bank Doing Business Economy Profile 2015, the 12th edition in a series of annual reports measuring the regulations that enhance business activity and those that constrain it, Zimbabwe ranks 171 out of 189. In August last year, CZI released the study of three manufacturing sectors, timber/ furniture, chemicals and pharmaceutical, to assess the process required and the costs that firms have to bear in complying with regulation. The results showed that regulatory charges imposed on companies were too high and many companies were struggling to pay the fees. While the study identified several costs emanating from a number of statutory authorities constituting between one percent and 3, 5 percent of total costs, three regulatory institutions were found to be the most common across sectors. These included charges to the Environmental Management Agency (EMA), National Social Security Authority (NSSA) and local authorities. However, other regulators contributing to the high costs include Medical Control Authority of Zimbabwe, Health Professions Authority, Pharmaceutical Council of Zimbabwe and Forestry Commission of Zimbabwe. The EMA charges 1, 5 percent of project cost for an environmental impact assessment. The environment body has also been accused of allegedly requiring a multiplicity of licences and many administrative processes which frustrated industry players. According to the CZI study, NSSA demands registration fees of between US$100 and US$300 for registration of factories and about US$200 for registration of an elevator or escalator. Companies are also made to pay between US$100 and US$1 800 for a boiler, depending on size. Inspection fees for elevators and escalators are charged at US$1 000 each, while inspection fees for boilers range from US$50 to US$600 depending on size. The pharmaceutical sector registration fees are as high as US$6 000, while fertiliser producers are charged as high as US$10 000 by the radiation authority and timber trader’s licences cost US$100. Economic analysts are of the opinion that there is need to find ways to bring down the charges. “The idea is not to do away with regulation, but to make sure that the regulations become more administratively efficient and we reduce the costs that are associated with regulation burdens that are put on companies,” said one economic analyst who refused to be named.Moyo said through its technical committees, CZI would continue lobbying these authorities to reduce the fees.