By MAIMBOLWA MULIKELELA –
THE Biofuels Association of Zambia (BAZ) has said Zambians should fully participate in the production of biofuels in the country to lower the cost of petroleum products and benefit from the process.
BAZ chairperson Thomson Sinkala said it was important that the biofuel sector should be in the hands of Zambians.
Professor Sinkala said the Government should fully pay attention to the biofuel sector by ensuring that the industry develops to support the economic development in Zambia.
In an interview in Lusaka, Prof Sinkala said energy indicates the level of development saying that poor availability of energy retards development.
“Zambian should fully pay attention and participate in the production of biofuels and associated upstream and downstream industries because that is the biggest gift we can have as we celebrate our 50 years of independence,” he said
Prof Sinkala said Zambians can participate by growing the energy crops and in the production of the biofuels.
“This is a 100 per cent loop, we can produce and we can also consume what we have produced. We don’t have to react to external pressures in the prices of fuels because it is our own decision and our own land and our own resources,” he said.
Prof Sinkala said foreign participation was also cardinal to the development of the biofuel sector.
“We need foreign participation because that way we can exchange ideas and expand markets and we can build capacities but at the core of our industry must be Zambians that’s our position,” he said.