Wed, 15 Mar 2017 12:36:45 +0000
By NATION REPORTER
COMPANIES in Zambia have been challenged to follow Zambian Breweries’ example and invest in infrastructure, equipment, people and the community in order to generate sustainable economic growth for the country.
The challenge was thrown by Copperbelt minister Bowman Lusambo in Ndola yesterday during a tour of the Zambian Breweries plant in Ndola in which he commended the company for creating wealth and employment for the people of Zambia.
In a speech read for him By Ndola Mayor Amon Chisenga, Mr Lusambo said Zambian Breweries represented a model for the private public partnership in Zambia.
“Not only does it source all its products from local suppliers, but it employs and trains local people, invests in the world-class equipment and provides business opportunities for small-scale retailers, farmers and the company goes a step further.
“I am also aware that the company is conscious of the need to be a good corporate citizen through its support for entrepreneurs, youth empowerment, sport, music and culture, and has been a long-running ally of local authorities and the national government. Add to that fact Zambian Breweries is one of our nation’s largest corporate taxpayers,” said Mr Lusambo.
He said what he saw reinforced the belief of Government that Zambian Breweries was a national icon that should be treasured and supported.
Mr Lusambo toured the facility in December last year together with Finance Minister Felix Mutati to inspect a new high-tech process that increases the amount of cassava in the company’s affordable Eagle Lager.
Zambian Breweries last year invested in technology and research to come up with the new production method for Eagle Lager known as Simultaneous Saccharification and Fermentation (SSF).
The introduction of the new technology was designed to improve the efficiency of production of the beer brand and incomes for small-scale farmers in Luapula who supply cassava for the process.
Zambian Breweries corporate affairs director Ezekiel Sekele said the company would keep investing in technology and ensure that the company’s products were made by the best equipment.
He reiterated that the company was not only interested in profits but also uplifting the lives of the people in areas in which it operates.
“Our dream is to bring people together for a better country. We are committed to improving people’s lives in different ways, apart from creating direct employment, we also have the youth empowerment programme.
“Under this programme so many youths have benefited. Here in Ndola, we recently empowered the Mapalo youths by committing funds towards the procurement of the tools that will enable the youths to start small business ventures,” said Mr Sekele.
