Stakeholders in Solwezi district of North-western province have called for a change of mindset in entrepreneurship and business development and tap into the opportunities that have been generated by the mining investment.
The stakeholders, through a representative, Mwiya Mwandawande, said local business development and employment play an important part in modern economy and vital contribution to economic development.
They said this in a communique during an information-sharing dialogue on local business development and employment meeting held in Solwezi yesterday.
The stakeholders further observed that there is lack of financial resources for capital injection for local businesses due to a rapid population increase in the area.
They said Kansanshi Mine has demonstrated an open door policy in employment procedures as well as prioritizing the awarding of contracts to local business enterprises through the North-western Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
“We are further encouraged that the new government has prioritized small scale medium enterprises,” they said
The stakeholders said to achieve social and economic development in the area, there is need to invest in education for young people and to have an education curriculum streamlined to focus on entrepreneurship and business development.
“We the stakeholders in this forum request government to prioritize local business development in the administration and implementation of the constituency development fund,” they said.
The stakeholders further recognized that networking by stakeholders such as the government, private sector such as the mining companies and civil society organizations is a key element for enhancing sustainable development in local business development in the district.
“Government line departments, more especially Ministry of Medium and Small Scale Enterprises, Ministry of Labour and Commerce and the local authority need to embrace the sector in the new decentralization policies and local budgeting and planning as well as the implementation of district development programs,” they said.
The stakeholders committed themselves to improve the welfare of communities in the district through maximizing the business opportunities and natural resources in the district.
They said there is need to create an enabling environment for micro-entrepreneurs, increase capacity building and training and strengthen market linkages.
Civil society organizations and stakeholders that attended the meeting include, Extractive Industry Transparency Alliance, North-Western Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Fortune World, National Gender Governance Council, Non-Governmental Gender Coordinating Council and Action AID Zambia, Environment Africa, Digital Pages Initiative, the media Kwetu Voice for Development, Zambia Land Alliance, Youth Alliance for Development and Kansanshi Mine.
Others include Solwezi Municipal Council, ministries of Small-Scale and Medium Enterprise, Youth Sport and Child Development, Ministry of Labor, Ministry of Education, Ward Development Committees and the Provincial Administration.
Foreign investors will NEVER accept Zambian ownership or management, because of the rampant CORRUPTION in this country at every level
Kansanshi Mine is a good corporate citizen I don’t know why they didn’t bid to take over KCM. If Vedanta were in Solwezi by this time Agarwal would’ve died from witchcraft
CAPTION PLEASE, DON’T FORGET THAT ARE EDUCATING US AND DOCUMENTING HISTORY.