Ministry of Tourism and Arts Permanent Secretary Auxilia Ponga has called on Regional and District Cultural Affairs officers to be creative and make the Ministry vibrant in 2021.
Dr. Ponga called on the officers to create linkages and networks by partnering with the corporate entities operating in their regions to actualize the cultural affairs development dream.
She said this during a virtual meeting with Department of Arts and Culture officers based in the regions.
“In 2021, the staff’s performance will be measured by how many jobs they will create in their areas of operation and how much the districts will contribute to the Gross Domestic Product,” Dr Ponga noted.
She also called on the department to work with the Regional Tourism Development and Research Officers to make traditional ceremonies more attractive for both domestic and international tourists.
Dr Ponga further urged the officers to look at setting up online shops that will cater for women working groups in the arts space.
And Director of Arts and Culture Patricia Muyamwa said there is enough potential in the creative sector with the ability to generate income in the country.
She said the communities in the regions should be coordinated to create enough mechanisms for the international markets.
“There is already a 5,000 demand for makenge bags and baskets from Western Province and there is need for the officers to mobilize communities in such areas,” Ms. Muyamwa noted.
This was contained in a statement made available to Zanis by Ministry of Tourism and Arts Public Relations Officer Sakabilo Kalembwe in Lusaka today.
Government has to tell people what to do. This micromanagement of the economy is acahic and communist. Just provide a level playing field with infrastructure and wide competition for internet service providers and people will follow. eCommerce is impossible where the networks are down half of the time and when they are on, they are snailingly slow.
Rwanda is a beautiful country, houses are VERY affordable . Beautiful four bedroomed mansions with self contained master bedroom with swimming pool, costs aroound 95,000 US dollars, ONLY . You can pay cash or 20 years mortgage!!!
In Zambia everything is overpriced under PF ba Mwankole
She is sat there in her comfortable office issuing suggestions about something she read in a textbook without looking at the fundamentals on the ground her govt should iron out…you can not talk of ecommerce or online shopping when you postal services is not in order, try sending a parcel through ZAMPOST, your post codes are a mess…this govt has not made any effort to invest in pulling submarine cables from Angola, Tanzania, Namibia or Mozambique to reduce the cost of doing business like the have done in Kenya instead they have left all this to the Network providers to rip people off. The cost of doing business in Zambia is too high.