Be part of turnaround process, industry told

Munyaradzi Musiiwa Midlands Correspondent
Midlands Minister of State Owen Ncube has called on industries and companies in the province to embrace the “Zimbabwe is Open for Business” mantra and be part of the economic transformation process.

Addressing captains of the industry and business people during the Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce Midlands Provincial awards ceremony in Gweru, Minister Ncube said manufacturing industries and companies in the province must contribute towards the crafting of the local content policy, and strategically position themselves to attract investment. Minister Ncube said it was incumbent upon industries and companies in general to complement Government in rebuilding the economy by being competitive.

He said local businesses should not be eclipsed by foreign companies on the local market.

“You know, it has been said that you cannot love your country and hate your Government,” he said. “I would suggest that you cannot respect your Government and fail to admire and cherish the work of those who want to transform it into a changed economy.

“Let us be proud to be part of this transformation process and be enormously proud to transform not only the Midlands Province, but our motherland at large.

“As you may be aware, recently, the new dispensation has called on various stakeholders to contribute towards the crafting of a local content policy to promote use of local raw materials and consumption of locally produced products.

“This policy document is part of the Government’s broad industrialisation initiative to enhance local value addition through utilisation of local resources and localisation of supply chains and linkages.”

Minister Ncube said Government had remained committed to transforming local industries and businesses to ensure that they were competitive.

“Government has been promoting local production through the Import Management Programme (Statutory Instrument 122 of 2017), which has been in place for sometime,” he said.

“The management of imports requires the adoption of a parallel process of a local content programme. The local content programme plays a key role in stimulating the development of local industries, value chains and linkages; creation of employment and technology transfer.