. SIMBAO

By HELEN ZULU –
GOVERNMENT has called on Zambians to support local businesses to ensure economic growth in the country.
Transport and Communications Minister Kapembwa Simbao said, there was need to support local businesses by buying local products to grow the economy.
Mr Simbao said it was a collective responsibility for Zambians to support local businesses in order to see growth in the economy and equitable wealth creation.
He said in an interview in Lusaka that local companies had the potential to provide
services just like foreign ones but this would be possible if they were supported by Zambians.
The Minister noted that local businesses were the largest employer nationally while
at community level, they provide most jobs to residents hence the need to support them.
Mr Simbao said by supporting local businesses, the country would see an increase in wealth creation and money circulating within the country thereby stabilising the local currency.
“I think it’s our collective responsibility to support local businesses, this is how we will see our economy really grow, there will be equitable wealth creation and that will ultimately stimulate better local products and services,” he said.
Mr Simbao encouraged Zambians to buy not only local products like bread, but also
telecommunication products and further advised consumers to be more conscious of the purchasing power and use it to grow the economy.
He said there was also need for local companies to embrace customers through providing good services to attract more businesses and remain competitive.
“I would like to encourage local businesses to do more to ensure that they are competitive, they should provide quality services, we know that they have the capacity to do more than these foreign companies and  this can only happen with our support,” Mr Simbao said.