MINING STILL KEY TO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT – ZULU

By NAMO PHIRI

ECONOMIST Emmanuel Zulu has identified mining as a key sector that can help improve the country’s economic outlook if proper investment is made into the sector.

Mr. Zulu said in an interview that the mining sector, if well harnessed, had the potential to contribute largely to the country’s economic development.

He said the coming of electric vehicles put a country like Zambia which was rich in copper at an advantage.

“This is an advantage which the country has and if proper strategies are put in place, mining can contribute a good percentage to the country’s economic growth,” Mr. Zulu said. 

He said there was, therefore, a need for the country to increase its copper production levels as the current amount of the commodity was not impressive, adding that he was optimistic that copper production would go up with the re-opening of the Konkola and Mopani Copper Mines.

He said there was a need for the Government to start thinking of value addition for the country’s mineral resource.

“This can be done by manufacturing the car batteries which are on demand especially with the coming of the electric cars,” he said.

He said there was a need to devise a mechanism that would help lure investors to come and set up electric car manufacturing industries within the country as this would not only help improve the economy, but also create jobs for the local people.

And Mr Zulu also identified agriculture as another sector that has great potential to contribute to changing the country’s economic outlook.

He said there was a need for more farmers to go into commercial farming and start thinking of exporting their commodities to bring forex into the country.

He said farmers also needed to start thinking of diversification and start growing other crops which they could export to other countries.

He also recommended value addition in the agriculture sector as another key component that could greatly contribute to improving the economic outlook of the country.