. Mukanga

By PHELILE MWANDILA –
THE Government is in the process of developing and building innovative and effective industrial policy institutions to enhance industrialisation and structural transformation in the country.
Transport, Works, Supply and Communications Minister Yamfwa Mukanga said the initiatives were aimed at encouraging youths and the general population to innovate and ultimately improve the standards of living of the Zambian people.
Mr Mukanga said in Lusaka yesterday during a UNICEF Activate Talk programme at the University of Zambia that Government was also taking other avenues to increase productivity in various sectors of the economy with the attainment of efficiency in service delivery in the Government system.
Mr Mukanga said Government recognised the need to promote innovation in Zambia as it was a sure way of breaking the shackles of poverty.
“As Government, we are excited at the number of innovations that are currently taking place in the country to promote and improve the quality of life of the citizens,” he said.
He said among the steps that Government had taken to improve the situation, were initiatives in the education sector and funding through the Citizens Economic Empowerment Commission (CEEC).
In the area of communication technology, Government was increasing accessibility to communication within the country by installing additional communication towers in 169 chiefdoms through the Zambia Information and Communication Technology.
Additionally, Government was promoting engineering and construction through the National Council for Construction which was training youths in various skills to contribute to the pool of innovative minds.
Mr Mukanga said other interventions included the partnership with the United States of America, through the Millennium Challenge Account Zambia, which introduced the Millennium Challenge Compact Innovation Grant programme, aimed at identifying best approaches to improve service delivery for clean water, sanitation and drainage.
“Time is now when we need to take advantage of this conducive environment created by Government so that we may have something to show at the age of 25,” he said.