President Hakainde Hichilema wants to see a Zesco that supports local investments in order for them to contribute positively in the growth of the energy sector, Presidential Spokesperson Anthony Bwalya has said.
Mr Bwalya said that President Hichilema was keen in seeing that Zesco was viable so that it could include local investors in its growth as a viable energy producing entity.
He said that the president was committed to ensuring that the challenge of load shedding was a thing of the past and that was why the head of State had managed to clinch deals of up to US$2 billion solar power project, which has been entered with MASDAR.
The US$2 billion MASDAR energy solar energy project would see the country generate an additional 2000 megawatts of electricity whose resultant effect would be the end of load shedding.
Mr Bwalya said President Hichilema was working round the clock to ensure that he improved people’s livelihoods by ensuring that the cost of living was significantly reduced for the ordinary Zambian.
“The president has indicated that he wants to see a viable Zesco and we are certain that the people at the firm will rise to the occasion and ensure that they meet his aspirations,” Mr Bwalyasaid.
And Mr Bwalya said that a special technical group had been set up to look into the operations of Mopani and Konkola Copper Mines,” he said.
And Jito Kayumba, the Special Advisor for Finance and Investment to President Hichilema ha said that an Abu Dhabi firm, Khalifa had given Zambia a US$15 million grant for Small and Medium Enterprises (SME’s) in order for them to venture in various businesses.
