Maravi

NCC calls on private sector to exploit cement shortage

NCC calls on private sector to exploit cement shortage
By Florence Bupe
Saturday September 22, 2007 [04:00]

THE National Council for Construction (NCC) has called on the private sector in Zambia to positively utilise the prevailing cement shortage on the local market to expand their business horizons. NCC executive director Dr Sylvester Mashamba said the government’s announcement allowing business houses to import cement in order to help avert the shortage on the Zambian market should encourage the private sector to innovate additional business ventures.

“The countrywide cement shortage that has hit the Zambian construction industry has continued unabated amid accusations of who is at fault,” Dr Mashamba said. “There has been a lot of talk about importing cement to mitigate the shortage and yet this is not forthcoming.

In as much as the cement shortage is haunting the Zambian construction industry and the national economy as a whole, it must surely be taken up by the private sector as a welcome business opportunity.”

Dr Mashamba reiterated that the cement shortage was detrimental to Zambia’s construction industry growth.

“We should not be misunderstood of celebrating amidst the cement crisis, let us reaffirm the position of the NCC that the ongoing cement shortage is not good for the industry as well as the economy, but surely the limited business opportunities in the country, coupled with massive youth unemployment, should make Zambians utilise the crisis to gain profitability,” he said.

Dr Mashamba advised that the private sector should seriously consider importing increased quantities of cement and enhance production as solutions to the prevailing shortage in the short term and long term, respectively.

He said the private sector should liaise with the government on incentives to encourage cement importation instead of dwelling on criticism and finger pointing.

“Government departments and institutions like NCC and the Ministry of Commerce and Industry should be in the forefront to provide the necessary support and vital industry statistics to the business community so as to enable them make informed, profitable and sustainable business decisions,” said Dr Mashamba.

Labels: CEMENT, NCC

posted by MrK @ 4:05 AM