PRESIDENT Hakainde Hichilema has assured citizens that government is on the road to reviving the country as many investors have shown interest in Zambia’s economy.
Officiating at the third Public Private Dialogue Forum (PPDF) Day in Lusaka yesterday, President Hichilema revealed that State House is ever busy with meeting investors everyday.
He said Zambia’s domestic capital formation was low and the economy can only grow if investments are expanded and are coming from different sources.
“We are on the road to reviving this country, I have no doubt. What I have seen is that I have never seen the level of interest in our economy ever before than now, I have never. That State House is busy and I have said to myself I will meet investors, local, regional and foreign because our domestic capital formation is low, we need investments from different sources,” said President Hichilema.
He added that the country also needed specialised skills from other countries.
Therefore, President Hichilema directed the Ministry of Home Affairs to issue work permits when need arises as it will help strengthen the economy.
“If any investor comes and brings in US$100 million and needs 20 work permits to bring the best skills and when those skills are brought in the country and they create 5000 jobs, we must issue the work permits, they don’t kill the Zambian jobs they create new Zambian jobs.”
“We want skills needed to develop and sustain business to create jobs for the Gen Zs. 20 specialist jobs will create 5000 jobs, it’s a no brainer at all,” he explained.
The President urged local businesses to also take the lead by investing in initiatives that enhance resilience against climate change.
He noted that the country must understand that challenges will always be there, like the climate induced one at the moment, but what determines a nation is the unity and resilience to come out stronger with the wide range of measures government has put in place.
“While we suffer the pain of climate change, we will also invest in mitigation and resilience. The businesses in this house must flip the pain of the climate change to the other side of the investment opportunities that have presented themselves. If we had not experienced the drought we would have not been vigorously seeking solar solutions, we wouldn’t have been looking at clinical, wind, geothermal technologies.”
“We must focus on the flip side of the risks associated with drought and drive jnvestments more to areas that will help the country to be resilient and mitigating enough so we can grow the economy to deliver the jobs.The Gen Zs need the jobs, the Gen Zs first need education and that money for jobs and education come from businesses. The GenZs also need further training skills, not just degrees which we hang frames in our homes close to the sitting door to show that we have degrees,” he said.
Meanwhile, President Hichilema urged the private sector to work with the public sector as a team and combine different talents and endowments for the country’s economic growth.
He further said the private sector should not wait for the Head of State to call for a meeting when need arises but should take advantage of the PPDF to discuss issues.
By Catherine Pule
Kalemba, December 13, 2024
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