President Edgar Lungu has appealed to the private sector to partner with government in order to finance infrastructure development in the country.
President Lungu said partnerships between government and the private sector can help create jobs and wealth, as well as cement national development.
The Head of State said this today when he commissioned the K1.2 billion state of the art Edgar Chagwa Lungu Business Park in Kitwe on the Copperbelt Province.
Construction of the Edgar Chagwa Lungu Mall was financed by The National Pension Scheme Authority (NAPSA) and has been built within schedule and cost.
The business park consists of a hotel, conference facilities, shops, automotive centres, cinema and a gymnasium among other structures.
President Lungu who described the business park as a great investment and national asset, has said that, he feels greatly honoured that the facility has been named after him especially while he is still alive.
He said government will continue to create an enabling environment for local and foreign investments in the economy.
He said government will continue to transform the country through the 7NDP blue print.
And President Lungu has noted that government will continue to undertake business reforms in order to reduce the cost of doing business.
He said there is need to scale up production capacities and business linkages to support micro and small businesses in the country.
The Head of State has further urged NAPSA to offer small traders and businesses, trading places at the ECL Business Park to benefit from the development.
He said government will continue to encourage parastatals and the private sector to pool resources to invest in productive sectors of the economy.
President Lungu said he was happy that NAPSA has also played a role in financing the construction of the Chingola – Solwezi road.
And NAPSA Board Chairperson Marian Munyinda has assured President Lungu that the authority will put to good use member funds in its investment ventures.
Ms Munyinda disclosed that NAPSA has since grown its assets from K23 billion to K48 billion.
Africans! You don’t name things after an existing political figure. You wait for him to depart then you honor him this way. Just this can be used as an election campaign tool.
To a gambler constructing mall is a way to grow the economy but to an economist, economical growth is through manufacturing sector. We are simply creating a market for South African and Chinese goods. I bet you 90% of good to be sold will be foreign goods.
Some things. It’s better not to just comment.
especially its public money,NAPSA.next president should change it ,let members of the public come up with the name.
Our youths need factories & industries, NOT stup1d malls which are stocked with south african & chinese products.
Let’s roll …
In the USA, there is law that requires a minimum of 5 years to elapse after a president leaves office to name any buildings him/her. This gives tie to historians/lawyers to to determine if the honor is deserved. We need something like that in Zambia
Who says? Kenneth Kaunda Secondary School in Chinsali was named after Super Ken when he was still President. Vera Chiluba also has a school after her although she is still alive.
Dear FACTS, just because someone had dictatorial tendencies and the other suffered from egoccentric envy which came out as trying to imitate the predecessor does not make this right. The world over it is dictators who build monuments of themselves while they still live. We all know that KK was pushing a president for life agenda.
Those things he is commisioning will be renamed.What criteria is used to come up with naming public assets.FTJ had a number of buildings named after him, today his name is but a mirage fading and every evil associated with him more pronounced.With the arrogance, corruption and bad governance tendancies today, I see Chagwa going the same route,forcing recognition backfires always.
Rodgers,mention those buildings! Only his first wife had a school named after her in Mtendere and another school named after his mother in Zingalume!I would love to know those.Fat john yes,he had!!
Has this mall replaced our famous Kitwe Freedom Park, I will be very disappointed.
Mavuto,
Over the years, your famous Kitwe Freedom Park had degenerated into a state of permanent dereliction and neglect; it had become the preferred hideout for vagrants and criminals. The gloss and glory of what was once the beautiful Kent Park in 1960s was long gone. For those of us from Kitwe who know the history of the park, what NAPSA has done should be commended and not condemned. Part of what has remained of the park, on the eastern side, can still be beautified to give the park its former glory.
Mwebantu, when is FTJC going to be honoured! The first MMD government is the pioneer of the development we are seeing today. He made radical decisions which even made him unpopular and some people resigned in the guise of corruption in order to maintain their popularity! This is real people.The naming of infrastructure should an honour of former leaders’, not those in power.This is not a communist country, please!!
Lungu knows after he leaves power no one will want to be accociatwd with his name after the extent of his theiving is brought to light…..he is trying his luck now to see what it feels like having structures named after him….
They will all change names.
Not bad at all. I mean the Business Park, of course. Never mind what name it carries, pay attention to the operational significance and competency of the facility to the region and the country as a whole. Economies grow through new structures, new room for innovations and new strategic investments. Let’s hear more on the functionality of those automotive centres.
Those who appreciate will congratulate, those who don’t will hate. Let’s keep rolling…
This lazy thing has no shame..even naming things after you when you have achieved zero
Malls are not development especially when people do not have disposable income, atase
Shopping malls are not investments bring industry in the country you will employ people and serve more families from poverty.
Shopping malls are part of the service or hospitality industry. Dubai has nothing but large shopping malls, hotels, and casinos and is raking in billions of dollars.
The worst president so far in this region of Africa arrogant and unfocused president. We are very unfortunate to have such a person like him.
Ba UPND,this mall belongs to NAPSA,your hatred won’t take you anywhere,its not GRZ who has built it why talk about manufacturing to grow the economy, NAPSA is investing in Real Estate to grow their portfolio and start getting rentals not for ECL,you wanted NAPSA to name it HH mall
Zambian Tribe
You are spot on. UPND cadres pretend to be educated but can’t figure out the significance of the mall to the NAPSA portfolio. HH claims to be very rich, why doesn’t he invest in productive industries where he can help grow the economy?
Don’t just oppose everything. We shall name Chimbokaila and Mukobeko after Hakainde Hichilema when he departs from politics in 2021.
I can see UPND has nothing to appreciate about Zambia. It’s a Napsa initiative just like Levy park. Napsa is looking after all retired Zambians whether you’re UPND or PF.
Welcome to the Hakainde Hichilema Correctional Facility.
Machined yako.
UPND chaps are hopeless…. the same man is constructing airports, roads,hospitals,power stations,universities, etc
Why do u want a president to build factories when the private sector is there?
UPND ngombes are a disgrace,
“…Why do u want a president to build factories when the private sector is there?..”
The economy is in recession technically iwe….you think shopping malls selling foringe goods will develop Zambia ??
What Private sector are you talking about ?? Is it the same one we were told will come tripping over them selves queing to invest after we build $1million/km rds ??
On money we don’t have u dander head, that’s why we are in this mess in the first place, PF cadres are just to dull to understand what’s going on, do u want people to draw pictures like I grade zero for u to understand that the economy is under duress….. Low lifes
Truth is we have “too much mall for this low income population”. Rentals are mostly dollar denominated and the profits externalised. Can we have deliberate strategies to make local industry be suppliers of choice?
He has foresight. He knows that once he’s out of power he’s headed to jail and no one would want his name mentioned. Smart guy!
Edgar has been invited by Napsa to officially open the mall and it is entirely at the discretion of Napsa Board and management to decide who’s name the mall should named after,and this project’s of malls is entirely the private sector driven and not government.We must understand that government is not there to do business but provide an enabling environment for people to do business,and as for now the country needs much need infrastructure to support industrialization and that is good road network,energy,hospitals,school and also financial fundamentals.At the moment the private sector should drive industrialization until such a time the infrastructure need is adequate then the government can shift resources to industries which should eventually passed on to private sector through…
Continue rolling, some of us we appreciate at least some of our people will get employed and earn a living. This wajata ng’ombe syndrome will not take us any where!
Malls all over why not create new
industries which can benefit the country.
So it’s all imports to fill those malls.
Only foreigners are favored to grab every investment opportunity in Zambia and not me an indigenous Zambian!!!! So go ahead and continue flooding the country with malls and Chinese!!!
ECL gets Chinese loan to build a business park and ferries cadres who trade at the dilapidated Chisokone market to praise him.
Zambians really deserve the poverty and hardship they are experiencing.
Awe which shop run by zambians Z.C.B.C
we were happy M.M.D to bring those chain stores now whats long PF to provide conducive inviroment for private sacter like napsa to invest in infrastracture
There’s a mall in kabwe where most zambians have failed 2 rent due 2 hi rentals & they’ve complained.Lets see how many zambians will manage 2 rent @ ECL MALL.
The workers who contribute Napsa are walloing in poverty.While Napsa is using workers money to build shopping malls.Why not train and support the same employees who have contributed to Napsa for 180months in various courses like Business,enterprise and agriculture by the time they are 50 or 55 yrs they are already empowered in what they will do after leaving employment. Not just pay them benefits into there account without any investment plan.
National assets,symbols and national institutions like NAPSA and others shouldn’t be used directly or indirectly to campaign for any person ,even a sitting president.
Who is Janis Joplin?
You do not name a property or any other thing after a sitting President or any other national leader. You wait till they leave office or after they die. How nice to be worshipped when you are in power! The moment you leave office everything and everyone goes. If some people will be found to have committed atrocious crimes in future some of these properties should be renamed after the deserving heroes, plunderers do not deserve honour
Who says? Kenneth Kaunda Secondary School in Chinsali was named after Super Ken when he was still President. Vera Chiluba also has a school after her although she is still alive.
You are comparing dictatorships and democracies. Naming things after sitting presidents is done in dictatorships. Are you saying Zambia is still a dictatorship?
After ECL leaves POLITICS then you HONOUR Structures and Investments.
A Shopping is not worth your Service to this Country.
Hospitals, Universities, Airports and other Powerful lifelong investments that contribute to national development, security and prosperity.
NOT A SHOPPING MALL. SO CHEAP and SHORT SIGHTED – ECL Shopping Mall. Seriously???
Thats a brilliant idea from NAPSA and the government of public of Zambia.. and his excellency the honour EDGaR LUNGU. Let’s not keep on blaming every time you see development. Appreciate, where it is due.