Employing local demands knowledge transfer

Developing good business environments in Africa is crucial if the project sector is to employ more locals. Experts agree that increased local content supply will only be successful if governments actively create an environment where private companies have the necessary support in place that allows them to employ local workers. According to Mahendra Dedasaniya, head global procurement and outsourcing for Worley Parsons TWP, it also means governments have to invest in infrastructure and foster the development of small to medium enterprises. “Employing locally brings with it training of which the cost is very real,” he said at the recent Breakbulk Africa conference in Johannesburg. “The only way it can be successful is if companies plan for it and if governments create an environment where these policies can thrive. That means starting discussions early with all the stakeholders sharing the same common terminology and goal.” Dedasaniya said at the same time information had to be shared across stakeholders and the process had to be open and transparent at all times. According to Farne Fayd’herbe de Maudave, senior vice president – head of Panprojects Africa, Panalpina, one of the countries that is getting it right is Mauritius. “They are leading the local content process from compliance to doing business to freedom of press. There is a free flow of information and the benefits are both to the private business and the government,” he said. “Too often African countries take a very prescriptive approach. And this is sometimes very difficult to adhere to in the project sector which by its very nature demands a highly skilled workforce.” Maudave said these skills were often not found in local workforces and too often small businesses employed to meet local content regulation were not able to support or deliver the operational requirements.” He said with more business environments embracing business it made it easier to implement local content regulations and to ensure the necessary training was taking place and that knowledge transfer was happening. INSERT & CAPTION Too often African countries take a very prescriptive approach. – Farne Fayd’herbe de Maudave