Masebo calls for innovation

Masebo calls for innovation
Livingstone, July 20, ZANIS….Minister of Tourism and Arts Sylvia
Masebo says government’s desire to put more money in people’s
pockets can only be possible with hard work and innovations.

Ms Masebo said it was important for people to demonstrate their
ingenuity in creating wealth at both individual and national levels.

Ms Masebo was speaking today when she officially opened the 7th
Southern Province Tourism, Agriculture and Commercial show (STACSS)
whose theme is, “Kumusanza; Creating Wealth in a Changing Environment
Through Business Innovation”.

She noted that the show was a great opportunity for people of Southern
Province to interact and share ideas on how to tap the abundant natural
resources in the region to create wealth.

Ms Masebo said government has indentified three pillars such as
agriculture, Tourism, manufacturing and infrastructure as the major
drivers of the economy.

She added that government has also created a conducive environment for
the private sector to be part of the drive to steer economic
development through the three pillars.

The Minister also urged the people in the province and the country at
large to look at ways on how they can benefit from the co-hosting of
the 20th Session of the United Nations World Tourism General Assembly
(UNWTO) next month.

“The UNWTO is a once in a lifetime opportunity for people of southern
province and Zambia as a whole to be innovative and create wealth for
themselves during the event,” said Ms Masebo.

Ms Masebo further thanked local residents for the support and both the
local and National Organizing committee for the hard in preparations
for the event adding that differences of any nature should not curtail
preparations for the prestigious event.

Speaking earlier , Southern Province Minister Daniel Mukombwe said
it was sad that some people are not appreciating the huge capital
projects the government was implementing in preparation for the UNWTO general assembly
that would to drive economic development now and in the future.

Mr. Mukombwe said government will continue to implement developmental
projects for the betterment of all citizens regardless of political
affiliation.

Meanwhile, Southern Province Tourism, Agriculture and Commercial Show
Society (STACSS) chairperson Edward Mumbi said 143 exhibitors as
compared to 129 last year are participating in this year’s show.

He said the exhibitors have been drawn from Non-Governmental
Organisations, Government, Agriculture, Tourism, Commerce and Industry
sectors.

He also said the Show Society expects about 10,000 show goers compared
to about 7,000 recorded last year.

But Mr. Mumbi said the show society was dogged with challenges such as
weak a financial base and lack of permanent infrastructure adding that
the society has since put in a strategic plan to address the hiccups.

Mr. Mumbi also thanked Zambia Sugar, MTN Zambia, Zambia Tourism Board
(ZTB) and Indo-Zambia Bank for sponsoring this year’s show.