North-Western contractors get tips

ABOUT 100 contractors in North-Western Province are undergoing a month training in line with the Lobito Corridor project component.

The training relates to Capacity Building for Trade Facilitation and Corridor Coordination.

African Development Bank (AfDB) through the ministry of Commerce has appointed the National Council for Construction (NCC) and Solwezi Trades Training Institute (SOTTI) to undertake the training.

North-Western Province Permanent Secretary, Willies Mangimela, said the objective of the training was to build capacity in contractors

He explained that the training would enable the contractors enhance their ability to perform and produce desired results to support infrastructure development.

Mr Mangimela urged contractors to maximise skills for them to compete favourably with foreign companies in providing good and quality service delivery when awarded with a contract.

The training, he said, was in line with Government’s vision to implement policies that support the enhancement and empowerment of local contractors.

Mr Mangimela noted that enhancing skills and technology transfer in the construction sector was key for developing the required infrastructure to steer economic diversification.

“The programme has come at the right time when there is a new dawn for Zambia, whose developmental vision is anchored on the development of socio-economic support services which enhance the livelihoods of the Zambians,” he said.

The Ministry of Commerce with AfDB, launched the Lobito Corridor Trade Facilitation Project in 2018, which will run for three years with a budget of $8.4 million.

The project seeks to empower SMEs in the agriculture sector with basic equipment for value addition, reduce gender inequality by empowering women involved in trading and entrepreneurship, and empower border agencies with enhanced capacity for service delivery around the Lobito Corridor.