Minister of Commerce, Trade and Industry, Christopher Yaluma says government will soon introduce a Statutory Instrument (SI) that will compel foreign and local companies in the country to buy protective wear and other products from Zambian companies.
Mr Yaluma said government is working hard to ensure that local industries are supported and protected from unfair trade which is mainly perpetuated by foreign companies.
The Minister said this yesterday after visiting Unity Group of Companies in Ndola.
Mr Yaluma said he is delighted that the group of companies has created over 400 jobs for people especially women.
He stated that it is encouraging that local companies have responded well to government’s industrialization policy and are creating jobs for the local people.
“We must promote you people and the only way we can promote you is by making sure that we direct all people utilizing these local and foreign companies to drive them to buy from you through an SI so that they don’t run away,” Mr Yaluma said.
Mr Yaluma described his trip to the Unity Group of Companies as an eye opener to the many challenges that local companies are facing adding there is more to be done in order to protect the industry for the benefit people.
“We must justify the reason why a South African company should import protective wear, could it be game boots, shoes and any other product. I’m delighted to see what I have seen here at your company. I thought those protective wear never came from here but outside,” he said.
And Unity Group of Companies Managing Director, Kam Shah bemoaned the high levels of dumping of foreign products on the Zambian market.
Mr Shah said the situation has created unfair competition that is killing local industries saying the Ministry of Commerce should quickly move in and protect local companies.
“There is need to protect local companies from unfair competition that has been necessitated by dumping of foreign goods more especially Zimbabwe. These foreign companies will pack their bags and go but as local companies we are here to create wealth for our people,” Mr Shah said.
Meanwhile, Ndola Chamber of Commerce and Industry president, John Samaras said Zambian businesses have the capacity to grow the economy when fully supported.
Mr Samaras emphasized the need for value addition by local companies to maximize on foreign exchange.
So, this sleepy minister thinks is making impressive news. PF ministers expose themselves with so much ignorance, not sure what level of competence merits them to be ministers – even KZ can do better. Provision of protective wear of workmen by ANY EMPLOYER is a must world over. If any of your companies minister do not provide protective wear may just validate the reason for you to be fired as late president Sata stated.
Buy Zambian products is given, do not give Zambians gibberish, say something fundamental and compelling to be news to the nation.
Yes,indeed,PF is chipantepante!! You visit one Industry (and may be collect brown envelopes) want to issue an SI to protect that industry?! WHY NOT HAVE A HOLISTIC APPROACH TO INDUSTRIALISATION? How many SIs are you going to issue? By the way,Mr Yaluma CAN YOU EXPLAIN WHAT YOU HAVE DDNE ABOUT ZAMEFA FOLLOWING THE ULTIMATUM YOU GAVE THEM TO INCREASE PRODUCTION AT THE BACKGROUND OF INCREASED COPPER THEY BUY AT BELOW WORLD MARKET PRICES DUE TO GRZ’s INTERVENTION? May be you collected brown envelopes,hence no action??
That is what we have been telling these theiving empty tins from PF
Now there is no GRZ money to steal they are looking at real issues
This government will dance all the traditional dances in the country try. When you are broke you are broke. Just say we have no more cash to import even from China. Tizakaula anso.
Where there is no customer, there is no seller. These protectivist measures have been tried ad nauseum in history. They all fail. To make people buy local you must improve the quality of local goods. It is as simple as that. Germany has never encouraged its citizens to buy Germen cars.
Yes
Minister, “working so hard” for something that is for the future? I would rather you say you have worked so hard and introduced SI not only for one product but a list of them not just one and it is still just a plan. Why on earth are we still allowing SA that has much less water than Zambia to export purified water to Zambia? Yes you will get Aquelle water in shoprite. In the meantime South Africa announced that they need to import less and export more. And we are going full throttle on importing everything including what we have in excess (water). And the selfish opposition does not even talk about real issues except how to prevent election rigging, that tells you where their heart is. This country is not poor we just have poor or incompetent people managing certain potigorlios.
With this PF government so there must one influential businessman who owns a company that makes protective wear and they are trying to protect his business
When you are on the exit door that is when you realize you have not been working? Which soon is your soon? And why should you not first ask local suppliers especially to the mines what they are capable and able to supply which some mines are depriving the Zambian Companies revenue? When should you have thought of protecting the local businesses, was it when you came into power or now that you are at the exit door? Kaunda did his best to protect local businesses by imposing abnormal taxes on items imported by any other person or business other than the local franchise holder or agent. But imwe bangwele, utu machines, I haf otati dis from China and you give them tax holiday? Bumbuli bwacilamo.
When you are on the exit door that is when you realize you have not been working? Which soon is your soon? And why should you not first ask local suppliers especially to the mines what they are capable and able to supply which some mines are depriving the Zambian Companies revenue? When should you have thought of protecting the local businesses, was it when you came into power or now that you are at the exit door? Kaunda did his best to protect local businesses by imposing abnormal taxes on items imported by any other person or business other than the local franchise holder or agent. But imwe bangwele, utu machinese, I haf otati dis from China and you give them tax holiday? Bumbuli bwacilamo.
Local industries need to advise government to give them incentives to get into the export market and not just rely on their protection from foreign goods which in many cases are far cheaper than locally manufactured goods.