Zambia Chambers of Commerce and Industry calls for the actualization of the Industrial Development Commission

The Zambia Chambers of Commerce and Industry (ZACCI)  has called upon Government to actualize the Industrial Development Commission (IDC) which according to the Presidential directive is meant to spur industrialization in Zambia.

ZACCI says The IDC is a good initiative hence there is need for Government to actualise the IDC.

The chamber has recalled that During the opening of the second session of the eleventh national assembly by President Michael Sata in September 2012, the head of state gave a clear directive that Government will enhance investment promotion and implementation of the public private partnerships by merging the Zambia Development Agency (ZDA) and the Public Private Partnership (PPP) unit to establish an Industrial Development Commission (IDC).

ZACCI acknowledged this visionary statement to spur job creation on the back of industrialization.
It is in view of this visionary statement that ZACCI has expressed its concern over the delay to realize this positive vision.

The ZACCI secretariat believes that achieving the indicated target of one million jobs is not impossible.

The chamber says as a nation must actualize greater visions aimed at promoting job creation and industrialization shared by the leaders both in the private and public arena.
The IDC is seen as one such instrument ZACCI  believes can spur job creation in Zambia where there is potential to create more than one million jobs over the next 24 - 36 months.
In his speech to Parliament, President Michael Sata further indicated that his Government will in respect to employment creation, will start implementing a national strategy on Industrialization and job creation, targeting four growth sector being Agriculture, Tourism, Manufacturing and Construction.

ZACCI acknowledges the strides made in Construction and Tourism, but an instrument like the IDC should be able to give all these areas and in particular the agriculture and manufacturing sector the much needed boost for more industries with enhanced value addition to the local produce and new product lines that can emerge as a result.