Minister of Commerce, Trade and Industry, Chipoka Mulenga has said government is committed to running a private sector driven economy.
Mr. Mulenga said government has put in place a stable policy legislation that allows private sector investment and growth.
He said this after touring a number of industries in Luanda in Angola yesterday in an effort to enhance trade and economic relations between Zambia and that country.
Mr. Mulenga said Zambia is endowed with abundant natural resources such as copper, hence the need to ensure the mineral is processed into finished products that are ready for exportation.
He said in future, Zambia will not export raw copper as government is committed to ensuring that the mineral is processed into a finished product.
“We are not only talking about maintaining a green economy by collecting waste and putting value addition to it but we are also focusing on mineral beneficiation from the raw materials that we have,” he said.
He said it is very unfortunate and uncalled for to continue complaining that Zambia exports copper in its raw form as concentrates.
“As the new dawn government, we are focused on making sure we have access to copper, to the raw materials and develop the industries into value-added products which we can export to Europe and other countries,” he added.
Mr. Mulenga stated that the country’s copper should benefit the local people as the country begins to process copper into wires and nails among other products.
He said government and the private sector will set up industries which will process copper into finished products.
Mr. Mulenga said government is strategically positioning the country as one of the copper giants in Africa.
He said to this effect, government has set a target of attaining three million tonnes of copper per annum.
He said the price of copper will not go down anytime soon, hence the need to work together with the private sector to invest in the mining industry.
“As government, we are positioning ourselves as leaders in the manufacturing of electric car cables and car batteries,” he said.
The Minister of Commerce, Trade and Industry has since called on investors to take advantage of the good policies that the government has put in place and invest in various sectors of the country.
He stated that Zambia is the best investment destination in the region with a youthful and energetic human capital that is focused on production.
He said the youths are result oriented and are backed by the leadership of President Hakainde Hichilema who supports the growth of the private sector.
Among the industries which Mr. Mulenga toured is Karam Investment Limited.
And Karam Investment Limited, Chief Executive Officer, Satish Mishra, expressed interest to invest in Zambia.
Mr. Mishra said his company is looking to broaden its investments and stated that Zambia offers a conducive environment.
Way to go but let action speak.
That is the path for real development by adding value to Zambia’s raw materials that enhances export value attracting foreign revenue but also providing jobs in the additive industries created.
How is this going to be possible when you can’t even add value to our timber and we have to import from Zimbabwe and South Africa to supply our own National Electricity Company?
Now we hear that even imported onions are allowed to the disadvantage of our local producers. Being African seems to be a problem, we are good at just talking and politicking even when we have the ability for action.
You don’t control the mines, they are in private hands, and their only goal is to extract raw materials for export.
So how do you actualise what you are saying?
Kuwayawaya fye, no vision.