A Ndola based businessmen has urged government to support the steel plant in Kafue by providing good incentives to the local businessmen who have embarked on the project.
Mr. Peter Mutale told ZANIS in Ndola that the steel plant in Kafue which is billed to be opened by April, 2008, was a good development to the country’s economy.
He said the plant would employ Zambians and reduce poverty levels at their household level and the general economy of Kafue district.
He said it was good that Zambians were taking up the economic challenges by embarking on projects that could make the country an economic hub in the region.
Mr. Mutale added that the steel plant in Kafue would help in cleaning up the country of all the scrap metal that were abandoned after their original design became obsolete.
He said districts like Kabwe had a lot of discarded metal materials which would readily find their recycling value in the Kafue steel plant.
He said the scrap metal business would also thrive because the plant would provide the ready market for locals to mobilize the materials as inputs to the plant.
Mr. Mutale said the team of Zambians behind the steel plant should be commended because Zambia’s economy was in a hurry to develop as long as they took into account the environmental, social and human health impact the plant would have in the district.
Correction – The Kafue Steel Plant is by a Consortium of Indian businesses in Zambia. The Indian High Commissioner is on record speaking for them as representing Indian investment in Zambia. Sadly, though, there are environmental concerns associated with this Steel Plant which hitherto remain unresolved, if not ignored altogether. Zambians must not be whipped up by sentiments of employment creation for the sake of it.We need quality employment that adds value to peoples’lives,not slave labour!