PACRA registers over 1000 east companies

—-The Patents and Companies Registration Agency (PACRA) in Eastern province has registered more than 1000 companies since its inception in 2009.

PACRA Regional Manager, Jumbe Kasongo, however, expressed concern that most business entities still do not understand the importance of registering their companies with PACRA.

Mr Kasongo told ZANIS in Chipata today that over 70 per cent of the companies operating in the province are not registered with the agency.

He said it is disappointing that despite the business environment growing many business people still conduct their businesses without being registered.

Mr Kasongo noted that businesses are just acquiring their trading licenses from the local authority without ensuring that they also get registered with the agency.

He explained that his organization has since engaged all the local authorities in the districts on the need for traders to produce business certificates from PACRA before issuing them with trading licenses.

Meanwhile, Mr Kasongo has expressed happiness with the growing business environment in the province.

He explained that when the office was established only liquor traders had shown interest to visit PACRA offices.

He added that from 2012 the agency has seen an increase in the registration of businesses from other sectors such as the construction industry.