By KETRA KALUNGA
GOVERNMENT should speed up the implementation of preferential procurement of local content to grow the manufacturing industry and maximise revenue, says Proudly Zambian Campaign. Campaign manager Lewis Chimfwembe said Zambia loses about 90 percent of what the mines spent on procurement of goods and services from outside, also produced locally.
Mr Chimfwembe said in an interview that the mines spend about $4 billion on procurement of goods and services annually and only 10 percent of the amount was spent on goods and services produced locally. He said quick implementation of the preferential procurement of local contempt was a matter of serious concern because the local industry has the capacity to supply the mines.
“The Zambian market is flooded with imported products, if you go to the mines, the figures are even there, they spend about $4 billion annually on procurement of foreign goods and services that are also produced locally. “But you find that out of this $4 billion, only 10 percent is spent on goods and services produced in Zambia, so the industry is looking forward to the government to speed up on this preferential procurement of local content issues so that the local companies can start benefiting,” he said.
Mr Chimfwembe said previous governments had touched on the issue but had failed to implemente the policy. He said, as a result, the manufacturing industry has not beneftited, hence the need for the government to fill up the gap and put in place measures that would benefit the sector.
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