200, 000 jobs coming for CB

MORE than 200, 000 jobs will be created for the youth after the Copperbelt Investment Expo, Copperbelt Minister Japhen Mwakalombe has said.

Mwakalombe said youths were a resource that needed to be nurtured and such Government would ensure that the young ones were not left behind in terms of development.

He was speaking in an interview in Ndola yesterday after the Youth Day celebrations.

The minister added that Government had taken keen interest in the plight of youths on the Copperbelt and other areas across the country.

"As you are aware, we will be having the Copperbelt Investment Expo in June this year. We will create 200,000 jobs for the youths. That is what we stand for and we want our youths to use their skills," Mwakalombe said.

He said he was happy that there were youths from different political parties during the Youth Day celebrations, stressing that it was a sign of unity in the country.

Mr Mwakalombe advised the youth not be agents of political violence and abuse, stating that their time and effort needed to be channelled into development activities.

He noted that youths did not need to get educated to be employed but could become innovative to better their livelihood.

"Youths should stop thinking that they go to school to get educated and get employed. They are the resource of the country through their skills. We want to ensure that there is equality of development in all the districts of the Copperbelt. So to do this, we need to create more jobs for our youths," he said.

Mr Mwakalombe added that Government wanted to turn the old mines into tourism sites on the Copperbelt to attract tourists.

"We want to turn the old unused mines into tourist attractions in order to turn our weakness into strengths. There a lot of opportunities that can help us attract foreign direct investment. Our target for the expo is to create 200,000 jobs for our youths," he said.