Sat, 10 Feb 2018 09:41:38 +0000
By ROGERS KALERO
THE establishment of local industries which will add value to raw materials produced locally will help set the stage for economic recovery and national development, says President Edgar Lungu
President Lungu said such industries would benefit Zambia through job and wealth creation to improve people’s lives.
The President was speaking yesterday in Kalulushi when he commissioned the K20 million Zambia Forestry and Forest Industrial Corporation (ZAFFICO) Pole Treatment Plant.
“Following the establishment of this Pole Treatment Plant by ZAFFICO, companies like ZESCO, ZAMTEL and Rural Electrification Authority (REA) which used to import poles for their various projects, will now stop importing poles but instead they will be buying from ZAFFICO.
He also urged the Industrial Development Company (IDC) to expedite the partnership between ZAFFICO and the Workmen’s Compensation Fund Control Board.
He said ZAFFICO had managed to come up with the Pole Treatment Plant because it had realized that in a competitive world, there was need to formulate strategies that would enable them to find new opportunities and survive.
“ZAFFICO has shown the way that it can seize opportunities to survive and also formulate strategies to survive in a competitive World. So those parastatal companies which have no vision and are failing to formulate strategies to survive, they will be doomed,
“This is a modern world and if you don’t formulate strategies to survive, you will be closed. The PF government will not hesitate to take stringent measures on parastatal companies which are not performing properly,” said Mr Lungu
And speaking earlier, ZAFFICO Board Chairperson Professor Jacob Mwitwa said the pole plant was fully funded by ZAFFICO using its own resources.
