A Kabwe based Business and Investment Analyst Noah Kabwita has reminded the government on the need to have the Mulungushi Textiles in the district reopened.

In an interview with Money FM in Kabwe, Mr. Kabwita says Mulugushi Textiles is one of the biggest companies in Central province that can provide the much needed employment if revived.

He says the clothing factory has remained defunct for too long stating it is time the government considered it’s re-opening.

He adds if re-opened the industry will boost business activities in the province, stating that a number of businesses will be engaged in the supplying and buying of goods and services from the industry.

“Once opened, Mulugushi Textiles can bring about economic benefits to Central Province which has suffered a setback due to the closure of the factory,” he said.

Mr. Kabwita says, if re-opened the clothing factory would re-engage cotton farmers in the country, as they would have a ready market for their produce.

He further says the government will also greatly benefit from the industry if re-opened stating that it will be earning income at a corporate level.

Meanwhile, Central Province Permanent Secretary Chanda Kabwe says government is working on how best to revive Mulugushi Textiles.

Mr. Kabwe says government wants to see to that state of the art equipment is put up at the clothing factory, saying the machinery at the firm is outdated following the advancement in technology.

He has however stated that besides Mulugushi Textiles the provincial administration has opted to open more industries in the province to meet the growing employment demands.

“Industries in the province include Mkushi Mine in Mkushi district, Lunsemfwa Hydro power station, the Open pit mine in Mumbwa district and the Itezhi-Tezhi Hydro power station as some of the industries that we have been opened in the province,” he has disclosed.

He says the population in Central province is about 1.6 million, adding that even if Mulugushi textiles was to be opened it cannot employ all the people seeking employment in the province, hence the need to open up more industries that can support economic growth in the province.

When officially opened, Mulungushi Textiles is expected to create more than 20,000 jobs in the next five years.

Government, through the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC), and its partners is mobilizing and investing an initial US$15 million in cutting edge technology and rehabilitation of the textile plant which has been closed for some years.