By MAIMBOLWA MULIKELELA –

THE Government will engage and assist the metal fabricators to establish a company for them to benefit from the growth in the construction industry.
Transport, Works, Supply and Communication Minister Yamfwa Mukanga said the Government would help organise people making gates, door frames and other steel products especially those operating on the roads to tap in the growth of the construction sector.
This will also assist them to start working together and form a company that would enable them access loans and other projects.
Mr Mukanga said this in an interview in Lusaka.
He said that it was important to prepare the metal fabricators because they would have greater benefit in working together instead of being fragmented.
“Those people who are constructing gates and other steel products, as the Government we want to start engaging them to ensure that they must start working together and form a big company and earn more money,” he said.
Mr Mukanga said two weeks ago while Livingstone he had engaged the photographers and discussed with them the advantages of operating as one.
He said working as one would enable them access loans and funding from different institutions.
“I will try and engage the metal fabricators as well in Lusaka especially those operating along the road such as Kalingalinga and explain a few things to them and prepare them because we want them to shift from there and go and operate somewhere else,” he said.
Mr Mukanga said he was working with the Ministry of Commerce, Trade and Industry to ensure that the metal fabricators were grouped into clusters, under the Citizen Economic Empowerment Commission (CEEC).
Mr Mukanga said the government was committed at supporting the growth of the Small and Medium Entrepreneurs (SMEs) in the country.