. Katema

By XAVIER MANCHISHI –

THE Government has said the growth of the country’s economy will largely depend on diversification.

Meanwhile, Information and Broadcasting Services Minister Joseph Katema has said the media will be held accountable if they choose to carelessly mislead the world that Zambia is on fire when the country is enjoying peace that others can only envy.

Dr Katema, who is chief Government spokesperson, said the Government would continue to encourage diversification of the economy to expand the export base towards manufacturing, tourism, agriculture and value-addition, particularly in the mining sector.

The minister was speaking in Lusaka during a media briefing at the Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC) stand in the Show grounds after touring media stands exhibiting at the on-going 88th Agriculture and Commercial Show.

“This will ultimately help to create the much-needed jobs among our youths,” Dr Katema said. “For us, this is key because it will help reduce the high poverty levels among our people both in rural and urban areas of our country.”

Dr Katema said Zambia’s economy had continued to post strong growth with real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in the last three years averaging 6.9 per cent.

He identified the main drivers of economic growth as agriculture, mining, construction, transport, communication and energy sectors.

On the media landscape in the country, Dr Katema said journalists had a moral obligation to practice responsible, professional and ethical journalism as opposed to perpetrating hatred and divisions among citizens through careless reporting.

“We expect the media to encourage unity of purpose and rally all citizens in celebrating this auspicious occasion of the golden jubilee,” Dr Katema said. “Always remember, we only have one Zambia which we all must guard jealously by practising responsible, professional and ethical journalism.”

Dr Katema said the Government had created an enabling environment for both the public and private media to flourish without impediment as evidenced by the liberalisation of the airwaves, which had given rise to a number of radio and television stations countrywide.

The minister said the Government had also demonstrated the creation of a conducive media environment by its commitment to freeing the public media by giving them editorial independence.

“You will agree with me that in the past what we are witnessing in the public media today was considered a taboo and was punishable,” he said.

The minister also announced that the Government had embarked on an exercise to review the National Information and Media Policy with views collected from all provinces, save for Western and Lusaka.