Vice President George Kunda says while government is doing its best to create an enabling environment for investors to invest in the country, it is important for such investors to plough back part of their profits into the communities they are operating in.
Mr. Kunda says government is mindful that investors are using Zambian resources to make money, saying it was therefore the responsibility of every investor to identify themselves with the people in areas they are operating in.
He said investors should always practice good Corporate Social Responsibility so that they ordinary Zambians can benefit from their resources.
Mr. Kunda was speaking at Mailo Basic School yesterday when he received a donation of 70 desks and sports attire valued at over K 50 million from ZAIN Zambia.
He commended ZAIN for not only providing cellular phone network but also assisting vulnerable communities especially in areas of education.
Mr. Kunda said government has been following with keen interest what ZAIN Zambia has been doing not only in urban areas but rural areas of the country as well.
He said the donation will go a long way in creating a good learning environment for children in the area.
“Investors can tap natural resources of Zambia and make money because as a government, we have provided a conducive business environment for them”, he said.
Mr Kunda said this is important because investors who come into the country also provide the much needed revenue for government to initiate other development projects in all parts of the country.
Meanwhile, Mr Kunda has appealed to ZAIN to provide mobile telephone network coverage in Chief Mailo’s area.
He said this was important because the area can provide good business for the company, adding that government through the Ministry of Transport and Communication was looking at ways through which communication can be improved in all parts of the country.
Mr. Kunda said this will enable all Zambians to understand what is going on in their country and other parts of the world as well.
He said communication is a key factor in national development.
Speaking earlier, ZAIN Zambia Managing Director Yayaz King said in line with ZAIN’s Company policy, education is one of the top priority in its Corporate Social Responsibility programme.
Mr King said under the company’s Corporate Social Responsibility flagship programme “Build our Nation” ZAIN has since 2005 supported schools in all the 72 districts of Zambia by rendering support to communities through school expansions, infrastructure renovation and donation of desks and literacy materials.
The ZAIN Zambia Managing Director said this in a speech read for him by ZAIN Manager DTH projects, Martin Mambwe.
Meanwhile, government has devised a programme through which it wants to rehabilitate Mailo Basic School and construct an additional 1X3 classroom block.
Mr. Kunda said t the same occasion that money for the project has already been set aside and all that is been awaited is for the District Education Board Secretary (DEBS) in Serenje to release the money.
Mr Kunda said government is committed to ensuring that as many schools as possible are constructed so that children can have the opportunity to access an education.
ZANIS
Mmmm, VP contradicting himself again!! On one hand, he says the government is providing the ideal environment where corporate social responsibility (CSR) can flaurish, on the other he has been the archiect of revising the Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) Act, without the “abuse of office” clause. If the government was doing what many government do in the world, ie, looking after the interest of their people, we wouldnt rely so much on the marketing ploy of CSR, especially from mobile phone providers who end up painting the towns and villages with their colours. Certainly, there is no such a thing as an ideal environment in the corporate world of Zambia unless you are pro government.
Well said most of these so called investors are into the business just for the cash and less care for the pipo.Look at the mines for example in north western province the buggers are just digging without proper care for the environment and surrounding communities.Some even have compromised safety measures for their workers.It really sucks
What is corporate social responsibility, if the mines and other foreign investors are not paying taxes?
#1 It’s achicken and egg thing.If GRZ was to provide every need like cuba then folks will sit back with no initiative.Cuba just decided to ditch such an inefficient system which has not produced any world reknowned company.Zambia also did sell zamtel as gov’ts are notoriously inefficient running some things,then govern and encourage competition which produces better,faster and cheaper goods and services.It is those gov’ts in places with the most successful corporations that have more to spend on people as they pay more taxes.What zain is doing is over and above what it pays in taxes and we should be grateful to them.
#4: I perfectly understand your very valuable point; there is a need for a balance of things. However, i still feel that in Zambia government does nothing, yet they are paid so much and live in luxury when 95% of the population is walloping in poverty. Secondly, CSR is a very important aspect of a growing company, especially that which has a direct link to the people. However, I do not believe in thanking a company whose main main has always been “business”. They are rewarded enough from the market and need not be thanked more than that. In developed countries, we have companies taking over sponsorship of student labs, providing computers or educational equipment and the like as part of CSP. You will never see a VP come to say “thanks”; maybe a major or a councillor. Fair point tho…
Fwaka,i feel you.Then,good place to start is what i saw in kenya.They’ve done away with luxury cars for gov’t officials.Also the media there trails and shames gov’t officers who use gov’t cars for personal errands.In kenya now they have the power to recall non performing officialsWhat is needed is taxpayer activism to hold them accountable,a new constitution with taxpayer rights,constitutionaly required Q & A sessions(preferably televised) of gov’t officials and citizenry where your concerns or questions are addressed since you’re boss as taxpayer.
However,gov’t shouldn’t be too helpful in every respect and should enable private enterprise do what it does best-creating wealth.
Talking alone will not compel investors to plough back part of the profit into the country bwana kunda. Give them conditions!!! or maybe you cant think of how such conditions can be drafted and implemented!!!..ask sata !!