Rupiah bemoans unemployment levels
Rupiah bemoans unemployment levelsBy Joan Chirwa
Wednesday January 30, 2008 [03:00]
VICE-President Rupiah Banda has said Zambia is facing an enormous challenge of reducing the high unemployment levels. And Vice-President Banda has said the flood situation in the country calls for joint efforts among stakeholders in assisting the affected people. Meanwhile, Coca-Cola Company has pledged a contribution of US $100,000 (approximately K480 million) towards the support of the flood affected communities.
Speaking when Coca-Cola company chief executive officer and chairman, Neville Isdell paid a courtesy call on him yesterday, Vice-President Banda said the high unemployment levels in Zambia could be reduced with adequate in-key sectors of the economy.
“If there is anything we are looking for, it is employment for the people of Zambia,” Vice-President Banda said. “Unemployment levels are too high in Zambia and these can be reduced through massive investments.”
Zambia’s unemployment rate currently exceeds 50 per cent of the employable population. And Vice-President Banda said corporate institutions and other organisations should also assist victims of this year’s floods.
“The floods are a serious problem. We were busy running around assessing the flood situation in Southern and Eastern provinces but we didn’t know that even Lusaka would be badly affected,” Vice-President Banda said. “Most of the Western suburbs of Lusaka are in water. This is a big problem.”
And responding to the Vice-President’s request, Coca-Cola Company made a contribution of US $100,000 to help those affected by the floods. “I know what damage heavy rainfall does to crops and infrastructure,” Isdell said.
And Isdell said Coca-Cola Company was planning to make a US $50 million worth of capital investment in its Zambian operations through its partner - Zambian Breweries.
He said the company would also make substantial investments towards the development of skills and technology.
“We have a high level of confidence in the Zambian economy. And through the increase in capital investment that we are trying to do within the next two years, we can address some of the unemployment problems by putting together a coordinated plan, a holistic plan to increase investments now and in future,” Isdell said.
Labels: EDUCATION, RUPIAH BANDA, UNEMPLOYMENT
posted by MrK @ 8:56 PM
1 Comments:
“Unemployment levels are too high in Zambia and these can be reduced through massive investments.”
I hope he means "by the government", and not "by foreign investors".
If the MMD starts to invest it's newly found revenues from the mines in infrastructure, they can tackle two problems at once. They can reduce unemployment, while rehabilitating roads and build new ones to make the country more accessible.
However, there should be some priority given to flood prevention. Not only have these floods destroyed roads and put people out of their homes, it is now leading to a local shortage of food.
If all the water that is now contributing to the floods was stored onland, in seasonal rivers, dams, as forests or as groundwater, flooding might be prevented in it's entirety. Also, by using swales, rainfall can be stored as groundwater, relatively save from evaporation or contamination.
Not only that, but the water can be used as drinking water or for agriculture, making it much less dependent on rainfall (only 3% of agriculture is not dependent on rainfall).
There is a clear connection, between the people working their own farms, agriculture as source of employment and food security, and water management.
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Associate Professional Officer, ALCOM
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