Maravi

(LUSAKATIMES) Govt declares Solwezi as an economic zone

Govt declares Solwezi as an economic zone
December 3, 2008

Government has declared Solwezi District as an economic zone. Commerce ,Trade and Industry Minister Felix Mutati said this in Solwezi, today, after touring Africa’s largest Copper mine at Lumwana.

Mr Mutati said the the declaration of Solwezi district as an economic zone comes after the increased economic activities in the Northwestern Province, particularly the mine activities.

He said it was government’s hope that the economic zone would help increase direct tax and more employment activities for the local people and beyond.

Government has declared a number of economic zones in the country like the Chambishi and the Lusaka economic zones with the help of bilateral partners like China to boost economic activities in Zambia.

On Lumwana Mines, Mr Mutati said the mine had brought industrialization in the province and the neighbouring Copper belt Province as it would help boost the economy of the nation.

He particularly noted the Zambia Electricity Supply Corporation (ZESCO)’s investment in supplying power to the mines saying the installation of power to the mine would speed up the processing of the copper ore rather than manually.

And the mine extracted copper ore which had 41 percent pure copper for the first time the processing plant was installed 12 year ago.

Lumwana Mine managing Director Harry Micheal told Mr Mutati that the copper concentrate mined today had 41 percent copper adding that his team was targeting to mine 45 percent of copper ore.

ZANIS/VP/ENDS/MM

Labels: ECONOMIC ZONES, FELIX MUTATI, NORTHWESTERN PROVINCE, SOLWEZI COUNCIL

posted by MrK @ 5:17 PM