By Chambwa Moonga
PRESIDENT Hakainde Hichilema says he wants to see so many people making it in the private sector.
He also notes that there is a misconception that foreign direct investments (FDIs) connote European, Asian or American investments.
President Hichilema was speaking when United Bank of Africa (UBA) group chairman Tony Elumelu paid a courtesy call on him at State House yesterday.
Elumelu was in the company of UBA management team and the bank’s chairperson Dr Tukiya Kankasa-Mabula.
Elumelu is a Nigerian economist, entrepreneur, and philanthropist.
He is also the chairman of Heirs Holdings, Transcorp and the founder of the Tony Elumelu Foundation.
The Tony Elumelu Foundation is a leading champion of entrepreneurship in Africa.
President Hichilema said the order of things now, around FDIs, must be that Zambian investments, must be supported here, as it is in Nigeria.
“FDIs must mean to us now that African investors. We must not discriminate African investments. We must look at supplying to each other before we look at outside Africa,” President Hichilema said.
“Africa does not need the narrative of war, bandits, hunger, poverty. Africa needs a narrative of opportunity and success! We must come of age as a continent. We must be embarrassed to be called names.”
He indicated that he was aware that many African political leaders fear the private sector.
“They don’t want to see successful citizens in their own country. [But] this President wants to see so many successful people in the private sector. Success of the country is a summation of the success of its citizens at household, business level.”
President Hichilema reiterated that Zambians would see the country being run differently under his superintendence.
“Already, Zambians are complaining because they are not used to orderliness. They are used to a lot of haphazardness,” he noted. “But we’ll run this country better and I’m confident that after a year or two, Zambians will begin to appreciate.”
President Hichilema stressed that the core mandate of the UPND administration is to turn around Zambia’s economic.
“That’s why we set up the SMEs ministry. For the first time in the history of our country’s Cabinet portfolio, SMEs sits as a ministry on its own,” President Hichilema said. “We don’t want the everyday complaints of opportunity, opportunity, opportunity, ‘landlockedness.’ We are a land-linked country and we are strategically located.”
He indicated that Zambia ought to be made a hub of production of various products, including agricultural products.
“[We want to be] a hub of processing or value addition. We have a rare opportunity to enhance trade with our neighbours,” noted President Hichilema. “As the government, we would like to actualise this issue of sending goods into Congo and Angola.”
Meanwhile, Elumelu said his foundation would like to support small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to grow their businesses.
He emphasised that his foundation is ready to support President Hichilema’s economic aspirations for Zambia.
“We would like to support small and medium enterprises. We believe our youth are energetic [and] we think that they are very innovative,” Elumelu said. “I told my people, and they know this. When I see progressive African presidents, I like to identify with them. I would like to see how we can collaborate and work together to fulfill the aspirations, which we believe will help to move Africa forward.”
He pointed out that trade partnerships are: “all about opportunities for our people.”
“It’s all about poverty eradication and inclusive growth. I like what I hear about you (President Hichilema),” said Elumelu. “We are ready to give any support that we can provide and help in achieving your economic aspirations.”
