Government has targeted US3 billion dollars in various new investments next year.
Commerce Trade and Industry minister Felix Mutati disclosed this when he officiated at the Private Sector Development Reform Programme (PSDRP) meeting in Chisamba today.
Mr. Mutati said the Uranium Mine, Cement plant, Meter and Transformer factory and the expansion of the hospitality industry would be among new investments that governmetn is targeting next year.
He said government has plans to double the investment from this eyar’s targeted US1.4 billion dollars in order to create over 100,000 jobs.
Mr. Mutati said this would also resualt in wealth creation and poverty reduction.
And Mr. Mutati has also disclosed that government received a total of 10 million Euros basket finance from the European Commission for the reform programme.
He said the reform programme includes installation of facilities at the Chirundu one stop border post and reducing red tape when registering foreign companies from 21 days to only a single day, among other programmes.
The minister observed that this would reduce corruption and cost of doing business at the border and other institutions because of reduced bureaucracy.
Meanwhile, Mr. Mutati has also challenged the private sector to divorce from sustainability to transformation.
He said there is need for the private sector to be result oriented than sustaining programmes without achieving results.
He further challenged the private sector to identify and support infrastrufture that will help reduce the cost of doing business in the country.
And speaking at the same function Zambia Business Forum Chief Executive officer Reginald Mfula assured government that the private sector will address the issues that will help reduce the cost of doiung business.
He called for change in business attitude among the private sector in order to help supplement government’s efforts in growing the country’s economy.
Mr. Mfula reiterated government’s call to the private sector to start implementing the reform programme.
