Luapula Province Minister Nickson Chilangwa says the issue of smuggling between Zambia and Democratic Republic of Congo ( DRC) will be a thing of the past once trade is normalized.
Mr. Chilangwa says the time has come for Zambians to be allowed to trade freely with their DRC counterparts.
He added that the only thing that required to be done is to put in place structures that will allow for proper trade to be taking place between these two countries.
Speaking when the Ministry of Commerce and Trade Permanent Secretary Mulenga Mushuma called on him at his office, Mr Chilangwa said people in Luapula Province should be free to sell two or three bags of maize or mealie meal to their counterparts in DRC without labeling them as smugglers.
” There is a huge market in DRC and as Zambia and Luapula Province in particular, we should take advantage of that,” says the Minister.
Mr. Chilangwa says institutions such as Zambia Revenue Authority and Immigration can be brought on board to ensure that things are done in a right way even as people trade.
He revealed that Luapula Province shares a very long boarder with DRC adding that it was possible that certain places can be identified where trade can be taking place.
“The more we continue to prevent people from trading the more we will be promoting smuggling hence it is important that trade is normalized so that the issue of smuggling can be dealt with once and for all,” notes Mr. Chilangwa.
And Ministry of Commerce and Trade Permanent Secretary Mulenga Mushuma says his ministry is impressed with the way the Luapula Provincial Administration is taking things were commerce and trade is concerned.
The Permanent Secretary noted that Luapula has demonstrated what Provinces can do in attracting investments in their respective regions which can in turn improve the economic activities in the country.
” We as a ministry we shall continue to work closely with all the provinces in the country to see to it that they open their respective Provinces to investments, ” says Mr. Mulenga.
The PS further disclosed that the Ministry of Commerce and Trade was working at speeding up different trade investments which are taking place in Luapula Province.
Mr. Mushuma has since pledged his ministry full support to Luapula Province as it continues on its path of economic development through various investments.
The following reasoning is beyond comprehension to me:
‘Mr Chilangwa said people in Luapula Province should be free to sell two or three bags of maize or mealie meal to their counterparts in DRC’.
What kind of business management is this?
ALL HE IS TRYING TO DO IS CHANGE THE NAME OF SMUGGLING ……
Next thing we need is a big airport in Luapula. That will make Luapula a contender.
Some of you may have seen the malicious article published by those dogs at zambian watchdog. Apparently I have a Russian wlfe and child. I think even a confused man would know that such an article is inaccurate and a bunch of lies. This is reason why we are introducing cyber bill. Zambia watch dog know that their days are numbered when this bill is enacted. So they are now trying to tarnish my name because I fought hard to bring this bill to the table. I know a upnd diasporan is behind this. Watchdog will be turned off in Zambia soon
Is Luapula province a country? Useless PF minister.
PF must go!