Metro

President Hichilema pledges support for Zambian SMEs

Published

1 month ago

April 11, 2024

Zambian President, Hakainde Hichilema, has pledged his government’s commitment to support the country’s small and medium scale enterprises as well as the principles of solidarity, equity and inclusivity in his administration’s development agenda.

Hichilema who made the pledge during the 2024 Micro Small Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) and Co-operatives Indaba in Lusaka on Wednesday, said his government was committed to promoting the growth of in the country.

The President who was represented at the event by the Minister of Small and Medium Enterprises Development, Elias Mubanga, stated that his administration had already embarked on the journey because of the important role MSMEs played in national development.

While delivering a speech on the theme “Harnessing the power of collaboration in fostering Micro Small Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) and Cooperative growth for sustainable economic development”, Hichilema noted that this would be achieved by providing MSMEs and Co-operatives genuine engagement in decision-making processes and capacity-building programmes can boost their creativity.

“Inter-connection and inter-independence collaboration stand as a cornerstone of growth across all sectors of the Zambian economy particularly among MSMEs and Cooperatives.”

He added that this can also boost the resilience and entrepreneurial drive of small businesses in order to stimulate development.

“Government is focusing on MSMEs and cooperatives’ engagement, as well as strengthening policy execution to promote and facilitate advanced investments for the nation’s long-term growth.”

He further added that government was engrossed with the participation of MSMEs and Co-operatives and strengthening the implementation of policy to promote and facilitate increased remittances and investment for the nation to attain sustainable development.

Hichilema stressed that in 2023, government, through the Ministry of Small and Medium Enterprise Development launched the Revised National MSME Development Policy and its Implementation Plan (2023-2028).

“This underscored government’s commitment to creating an enabling environment for MSMES to thrive,” the Head of State said.

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Metro

Church in Kasama warns government against misusing Cyber Security Act

Published

2 hours ago

May 16, 2024

Akanimoh Etim

In Kasama District of Northern Province, the Church has issued a caution to the government regarding the use of the Cyber Security Act to intimidate, harass, or oppress citizens and political parties.

Reverend Joseph Nkonde, Chairperson of the Council of Churches in Zambia (CCZ) for Kasama District, restated the importance of fair implementation of the law to prevent discontent among citizens.

Speaking to Zambia Monitor in Kasama, Nkonde stressed the necessity for the government to focus on the positive aspects of the law and refine problematic clauses to achieve the desired Act.

“In this age of information, today’s Zambia is vastly different from yesterday’s. Citizens now utilise cyberspace to access and disseminate information,” he said.

Nkonde highlighted that Cyber Security also pertained to media freedoms, which are crucial for democracy and the well-being of Zambians.

He cautioned the government against intimidating journalists or their media houses using laws like the Cyber Security Act, as it could impede their performance.

“It’s important to note that many people, especially in rural areas, are unfamiliar with or unaware of the Cyber Security Act. The government can use the media to educate them about its advantages and disadvantages,” Nkonde advised.

Regarding media freedom, Nkonde acknowledged government’s efforts to implement policies aimed at protecting journalists but stressed the need for further action to ensure their security.

He urged Parliament to consider enacting laws that safeguard journalists and, ultimately, ordinary citizens who rely on the disseminated information.

“I also want to caution ordinary Zambians against misusing social media and posting content that may sow division or prompt government action that could be perceived as harmful,” Nkonde added.

This story is sponsored content from Zambia Monitor’s Project Aliyense.

Metro

Nigeria targets 10,000MW hydropower through sustainable power project

Published

7 hours ago

May 16, 2024

Akanimoh Etim

Nigeria’s Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, says the federal government is targeting10,000 megawatts through its Sustainable Power and Irrigation Project for Nigeria (SPIN) in collaboration with the World Bank.

Adelabu who disclosed this at during the African High-Level Roundtable on Sustainable Hydropower in the African Renewable Energy Mix of the 21st Century, held in Abuja on Wednesday, said the “primary objective of the project is to enhance the utilisation of existing storage facilities for both irrigation and hydropower generation.”

He added that the project aims to strengthen institutional frameworks related to integrated water resources management within Nigeria.

“SPIN aims to unlock additional 10GW combined capacity from existing dams with provision for hydro but not fitted, partially incomplete dams with provisions for hydropower, Greenfield projects and existing multipurpose dams that can be modified/redesigned and retrofitted,” Adelabu said.

The Minister who acknowled the immense potential for hydropower development in Africa, said it is important to also consider responsible development.

“We must address environmental concerns around dam construction and ecosystem disruption, alongside social impacts on local communities. This requires a commitment to sustainability, stakeholder engagement, and innovative solutions to financing these large-scale projects.”

The Minister also stated that for several decades, hydropower has played a significant role in Nigeria’s energy supply, contributing approximately 20 per cent to the nation’s total grid supply as of now.

Adelabu emphasised Nigeria’s wealth of water resources across its various basins while the country’s hydropower capacity is estimated at 14 GW, only around 15 per cent of this potential has been harnessed.

“The country has over 340 dams spread across different geo-political zones, under the management of the three government tiers and many are not optimally utilized or at risk of damage.

“For the small hydropower, a multitude of river systems, providing about 70 micro dams, 126 mini dams, and 86 small sites, supply a technically exploitable capacity of 3.5GW, but only 1.7per cent (0.06GW) of these resources are currently being tapped, while there are about 10GW of potential untapped capacities from the large and medium-sized hydropower,” he added.