Government says value addition and industrialization continues to be at the core of government’s agenda to diversify the Zambian economy and achieve a broad-based and inclusive growth.
Commerce and Trade and Industry Minister, Christopher Yaluma said it is for this reason that government has partnered with the Zambia Association of Manufacturers (ZAM) in implementing the Proudly Zambian Campaign.
ZANIS reports that Mr. Yaluma said the Association and its members lie at the heart of the buy local campaign and are cardinal in stimulating the Zambian economy towards higher and more sustainable economic growth.
He said it is therefore with great pleasure that they continue to collaborate with ZAM towards the issuance of the official “Proudly Zambian Logo”.
Mr. Yaluma said this in Lusaka today during the ZAM 32nd Annual General Meeting under the theme, “consolidating ZAM’s positioning for National Development”.
Mr. Yaluma said the theme is crucial and necessary to achieving Zambia’s objective of becoming a prosperous middle-income country by 2030.
He said the benefits of having a consolidated and strong industrial base cannot be understated as it turns into poverty reduction through wealth creation.
Mr. Yaluma said government understands the value of having a vibrant manufacturing sector in the country.
He said it is for this reason that his Ministry has partnered with ZAM in implementing the Proudly Zambia Campaign.
Mr. Yaluma said ZAM and its members lie at the heart of the “buy local” campaign and are cardinal to stimulating the Zambian economy towards higher and more sustainable economic growth.
He has since urged both service providers and producers to take heed of the directive to ensure that marketing materials and packaging containing references to “Proudly Zambian” and utilizing un-official slogans are phased out by September 2018.
Mr. Yaluma said this will pave way for the new brand of Proudly Zambian” products and services that are inspected and approved for quality and compliance, as well as good environmental and competitive practices.
Meanwhile, ZAM President Roseta Chabala said the challenges the sector has faced are numerous and anchored in various issues that ultimately translate to a high cost of doing business for manufactures.
Ms. Chabala said there is need to ensure active implementation of these policy documents in order to support key interventions such as the Proudly Zambia Campaign.
The Zambian economy is already diversified in fact. It is the source of foreign exchange that is not. I think Minister Yaluma meant to say growing the economy.
Don’t think President Trump’s nationalistic call of “Buy America” or America First is a no brainier. It is a philosophy of rebuilding internal prosperity first. Today businesses are investing back in the US economy creating resilience and high value opportunities for every citizen and authorized residents that want to work. Turning ourselves into an import oriented economy is a double edged sword to our economy. It wipes from the economy every little dollar realized exposing the Kwacha to loss of value. It also creates jobs for foreign economies instead of Zambians. How dare we allow import of fruits vegetables, tooth paste and everything from South Africa, Brazil and China instead of producing locally. W have water and land but we import fish from the far East. Its insane.
Proudly? Proud of what?
Proudly Chinese
Proudly Zambian
Don’t make sense.
But:
Made in China
Made in Zambia
Yes better.
If we have atleast 2 world class products manufactured locally, ban the importation of anything alike. That way every Tom, Dick and Harry will compete to manufacture a better product. We import too much to make local manufacturing competitive
And yes one may argue about the manufacturers inflating prices… but this is for the short term. The potential profits will draw the masses into the manufacturing system, creating a competition that is bound to drop the prices.
The point is even if the economy grows, if what we produce is consumed locally, we would still remain dependent on copper exports for foreign exchange. The focus should be to increase the sources of foreign receipts.
How a dull man like Yaluma still has a job as a minister is just beyond me this man is an empty suit!!
Jay Jay: What is it about you and Chris Yaluma? He has a whole team of officials at the ministry of commerce. Let the man do what he is capable of and that is to provide political leadership or to talk if you like.
Snr Citizen: The PF has created IDC and installed ECL as board chairman. How someone who carries legal immunity can be a company director and chairing its board beats me. Company directors are subject to the Companies Act and it’s therefore absurd to have ECL and even his ministers sitting on a company board. This is someone we are told is a lawyer and is also advised by the attorney general. How was this allowed to happen? What’s the point of learning? Is it just to memorize and pass exams but we fail to apply knowledge to situations properly? We have what I hear is an Institute of Directors and they even hold serminers. Is it just me or everyone doesn’t give a hoot? The learned are letting us down and they are not even ashamed of it.
Cholera epidemic ,collapsed Zambia Airways ,foreign supermarkets and still using pit latrine toilets . What’s there to be proud of about Zambia?
Chanchima and Senior Citizen have highlighted or bring out very good points and I agree with both totally. My piece to this discourse is that it not whole about the slogan, but about being proud of what? This is area of interest that government must work on. What is it that we are producing in this country ama yoyo, jigz, Yes drinks and simple biscuits that make people dance for adverts. We have only two companies in this country Zambeef and Trade kings. Like what Senior citizen says keep on opening the country to new investments with ZAMBIANs at the centre. Let us make this country a ONE STOP SHOP and only import things we can not make. Surely selling packed amalasha in shoprite from SA. Awe we have seen our ears in this country! Too much docility on the part of policy makers
Lungu and his ministers are too lazy and corrupt to do real work of building indigenous Zambian manufacturing…….the textile industry is one where Zambia can save millions and crate jobs but the crooks in state house would rather see to it that import permits for GRZ uniforms are corruptly given out…..
Proudly Zambian can only work if you create an environment that helps the local manufacture access to money. But as at now this is all just lip nonsense from the PF government and the ones before! How can a country like Zambia be importing toothpicks!
This country is a dumping ground of China..!
The point of ECL being board chairman means that if anything goes wrong, you can challenge the president in court!