SAMPA

By CHATULA KAMPO  –
Government has put in place a deliberate programme that will compel public institutions to procure at least 20 per cent of local textile products to support the sector.
Commerce, Trade and Industry deputy Minister Miles Sampa said implementation of the the innovative and deliberate programme in the textile industry is expected to create at least 4,000 jobs.
Mr Sampa said public institutions would be made to negotiate an off-take agreement with the local textile and garment manufacturing companies and ensure that 20 per cent of their products are sourced from the local manufacturers.
“I would like to urge all public institutions that include the Zambia Army and Zambia National Service to buy 20 per cent of their garments from  local manufacturers such as Unity Garments,” he said.
Mr Sampa, who toured Unity Garments in Ndola said, the textile and garments industry had potential to create jobs for the Zambian people as it was labour intensive.
Government through the Commercial Industrialisation policy 2009 to 2014 and the 2013 strategic paper on industrialisation and job creation, identified the textile and garment industry as one of the priority sectors key to economic growth.
Mr Sampa commended Unity Garments Limited for remaining competitive in the textile industry in the country despite numerous challenges.
He urged other textile and garment companies in the country to emulate Unity Garments Limited and improve the quality of their products.
Unity Garments managing director Kam Shah said his company was the largest garment manufacturing firm in the country with a work force of 135 workers the majority of whom were women.
He said the company had remained competitive in the textile industry and that it was working on expanding to Solwezi so that more jobs could be created for the locals.