WINDHOEK, Feb. 12 (Xinhua) -- Namibia's Chamber of Commerce (NCCI) on Tuesday urged the country's government to develop mechanisms to support local trading businesses.

NCCI Branch Chairman Martin Shipanga called on the government to immediately act upon the key economic issues as identified in policies, participation of locals in infrastructure development, trading, tourism, health, mining, logistics and agriculture sectors.

"A serious scenario is facing us where businesses have closed doors, have been hit with industrial strikes, retrenched workers and generally lost out on business against foreign businesses that have the advantage of price and market bullying and access," he added.

According to Shipanga, there is a need for policy interventions as he believes the current status quo of policies is a disadvantage to locals.

"There is a need for deliberate policy shift in procurement, in attracting and managing foreign direct investment," he said.

Furthermore Shipanga urged the government to start engaging on how to increase the revenue of government.

"There is a need to increase the revenue of the state, by using other innovative ways either than cutting expenditure alone and raising taxes," he added.

Meanwhile the chairman said the chamber will set up working teams from all regions to provide detailed inputs for action and possible intervention.