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Ishemunyoro Chingwere Business Reporter
President Emmerson Mnangagwa yesterday said the manufacturing sector should use locally produced raw materials and other consumables in their operations and his Government will make efforts to support businesses that strive to produce these substitutes.
Speaking after touring Delta Corporation’s lager beer manufacturing plant in Harare, President Mnangagwa said his administration was eager to finance techno-savvy Zimbabweans with the zeal to finding solutions to challenges of local industries.
The country is gobbling billions of dollars annually importing some raw materials and other consumables that local industries can produce if adequately financed.
“We reached an area (during plant tour) where I was told that they still import containers, so I said to my brother (Delta Corporation chairman Canaan Dube), when Buy Zimbabwe has a meeting – we always have that once a year – we assemble manufacturers, wholesalers, consumer sector of the population together, it is here where you say the manufacturing sector of the economy imports the following items.
“Then from that you have people who may get interested especially our young people, we then fund them to go and find out how those containers are manufactured, wherever they are manufactured. We fund them to come and start new plants here. We should have products made in Zimbabwe by Zimbabweans for Zimbabwe and our export market,” he said.
To achieve this, the President said Government had already identified six universities with a bias towards sciences, which will be funded to support innovations for industrial needs.
However, for these to succeed, they will need to operate in collaboration with industry so that they can provide gaps that industry wants covered.
“Equally, you must collaborate in areas of science and technology specifically in research and development, taking advantage of the innovation incubation hubs which my Government has established at our universities.
“We have selected six universities in Zimbabwe, which have a bias in sciences and created well-funded hubs for inventions, so those who are bright they go to these hubs where they will be supported in terms of funding,” said the President.
The President said he was happy to note Delta Corporation’s progress in light of its contribution to the economy and its continued confidence in the Zimbabwean investment climate.
However, the firm’s reliance in particular, and that of the manufacturing sector in general, on imports for some of its requirements is worrying Government whose interest is to see the same imports being manufactured locally in line with the Zimbabwe is open for business mantra.
Zimbabwe under President Mnangagwa’s leadership is pushing for an investor friendly environment as a way to kick-start the country’s economy that had been subjected to several years of regression in the previous Government.
Since President Mnangagwa’s inauguration in November last year, the country has seen an increase in investment enquiries with over $16 billion investment commitments having been registered.
It is against this background that the President said the manufacturing sector must take advantage of the periodic Buy Zimbabwe meetings, which Government has together with industry and other stakeholders to enumerate their import requirements so that other local companies can cover the gap with support from Government.
Online Reporter