President Edgar Lungu has commissioned the first phase of the China National Building Material plant in Chongwe’s Chifwema area whose total investment is US$200 million.
The plant consists of a one million tonne per year cement production line, a 200,000 cubic meters of pre-mix concrete production line, 700,000 tonnes of aggregate production line and 280,000 manufactured sand capacity.
President Lungu said the project could not have come at a better time than now when the PF Government has developed the National Industrialization Policy, the Local Content Strategy and the National Investment Promotion Strategy.
The Head of State says these documents are designed to guide accelerated growth of the manufacturing sector and increased efficiency in utilization of local resources.
He says government’s policy is to support manufacturing through initiatives that encourage secondary processing of raw materials.
President Lungu is delighted that China National Building Material Zambia plant is clearly supporting government to actualize the policy to add value to the abundant natural resources.
Speaking at the same event, Commerce, Trade and Industry Minister Christopher Yaluma said the commissioning of the plant will definitely result in enhancing the construction sector and meet the increasing construction materials demand.
And Chinese Ambassador to Zambia Li Jie said the company will create more than 2,000 direct jobs and that the company will contribute massively in terms of taxes.
Meanwhile, Company Chairman Liu Jiang says the company has advanced technology and will contribute positively to the growth of the construction sector.
And in her vote of thanks, Chieftainess Nkomesha Mukamambo II urged the company to ensure that the local people who are being employed are well taken care of in terms of working condition.
President Edgar Lungu commissions a US$200 million China National Building Material plant
