MEDIA KEY TO COPPERBELT EXPO SUCCESS
IN LINE with the Zambian government’s bid to open the country to several investment opportunities, the Copperbelt Province has laid out its plan to host the first-ever provincial exposition set to take place in June this year. The expo which follows others already hosted such as the Northern Province Expo is tipped to be one of the country’s biggest because of the Copperbelt’s central location.
Focused on the theme, ‘Broadening the Economy of Copperbelt through Diversified Investment’, the Copperbelt Expo will be looking to engaging more partners and investors and seek to explore untapped investment oppor tunities.
Copperbelt Permanent Secretary Bright Nundwe has therefore identified the media as a key player in making this expo a success. Speaking at a special breakfast hosted for the media on Thursday at Ndola’s Urban Hotel, Mr Nundwe said for the province to attract serious investment, there is need for the media to be fully involved.
“For the outside world to know what is transpiring in Zambia, we need the media in this country. For serious investors to come on board and invest in this country, those investors require information,” he said.
“This year from 24th to 29th June, we are going to have the most spectacular expo, this exposition cannot be attained in the absence of media, and therefore it is important, it is necessary and of higher significance that we simply embrace the media fraternity.”
Mr. Nundwe has therefore urged the media to play a critical role in promoting the expo which will be officially launched on the 2nd of March in Kitwe at Garden Court Hotel.
“We want you (media) to capture every single sight, with assistance from the planning department, you may not have the finances, I am giving a directive to assistant director planning, the events manager and director finance to make sure that they embrace you where ever they go,” Mr Nundwe said.
“Go to Kapisha Hot Spring and see what is prevailing there, go to Chembe Bird Sanctuary and see what is happening there, go to Dammersho and see what is transpiring, go to Kasumbalesa border and tell that world that we’ve got borders if you grow anything you still export it to other countries, go to the international airport that we are building today.”
Mr Nundwe also announced that the province will need about one million dollars to successfully host the expo.
“We are inviting huge business houses to come on board and see what we have planned for the actual expo in June. Media, I would like you to be aware for us to hold this expo successfully we require one million dollars(approximately 12 million kwacha),” announced Mr Nundwe who also emphasized that his team has written letters to lobby for support and the response is so far overwhelming. He advised the media to be innovative, objective and creative during the expo.