GOVERNMENT CALLS FOR COLLABORATION WITH MANUFACTURING SECTOR TO LOWER COST OF DOING BUSINESS

 

Technology and Science Minister Hon. Felix Mutati has called for collaboration between government and the manufacturing sector in order lower the cost of production.

 Mr. Mutati says challenges facing the manufacturing sector like high shipping costs and dependency on imported raw materials and others, require strong collaboration between the Government and the private sector.

 Mr. Mutati says the Zambia Association of Manufacturers is instrumental in advocating for policies that create an enabling environment for business growth and development of critical skills for the sector.

 In a speech read for him by Technology and Science Permanent Secretary Dr. Brilliant Habeenzu during the Skills Conference in Lusaka this morning, Mr. Mutati said government envisages building a resilient and competitive manufacturing sector which will increase its contribution to the country’s job creation and Gross Domestic Product.

 The Minister also used the occasion to inform the Manufacturing Sector that Zambia will host the World Skills Competition in Livingstone in April 2025 where 21 skills will be competed for by youths from across the continent.

 "The WorldSkills Africa Competition in Livingstone is among the initiatives we are using as a catalyst for the continued development of our technical and vocational systems for improved workforce employability and competitiveness," said Mr. Mutati.

 And Technical Vocational and Entrepreneurship Training Authority (TEVETA) Director General Cleophas Takaiza said the authority is committed to addressing skills gaps in the manufacturing sector through several initiatives aimed at enhancing the quality and relevance of TEVET.

 Mr. Takaiza said partnerships with industry are critical means to meet emerging skills gaps now and in future.

 "Our engagements with the Zambia Association of Manufacturers last year culminated in a partnership with the Production Technologies Association of South Africa to develop a curriculum in Tool, Dye and Mould, which is one of the skills our manufacturers signal to be a vital enabler to the sector’s productivity and efficiency," he said.

 Meanwhile, Zambia Association of Manufacturers Chief Executive Officer Muntanga Lindunda has called for the development of a skilled workforce which can help transform Zambia through it's long term goals.