Mwanakatwe to bolster youth entrepreneurship

Newly appointed Minister of Commerce, Trade and Industry Margaret Mwanakatwe has pledged to promote and support the development of youth entrepreneurship in order to create jobs and wealth in the country.

Mrs Mwanakatwe admitted that she has a mammoth task of ensuring that youths benefit from government funding and support.

The Minister said she wants to see parastatals like the Nitrogen Chemicals of Zambia to be operational and produce goods at full capacity.

She was speaking to journalists at State House today shortly after being sworn in as Minister of Commerce, Trade and Industry.

President Lungu today swore in former Barclays Bank Managing Director Margaret Mwanakatwe as Minister of Commerce, Trade and Industry, Joseph Katema as Minister of Chiefs and Traditional Affairs, Mulenga Sata as Deputy Minister at State House and Boniface Chimbwali as Luapula Province Permanent Secretary.

Others sworn in are Major David Muma as Zambia Air Force Deputy Commander and Kakoma Kanganja as Deputy Inspector General of Police taking over from Solomon Jere.

And new Luapula Province permanent secretary Boniface Chimbwali pledged to work closely with all stakeholders in order to foster development in the area.

Speaking shortly after being sworn in, Mr Chimbwali said he will implement the President’s directives to ensure that the civil service delivers quality services to the expectations of the people of Luapula.

Mr Chimbwali said he will utilize the endowments of the province such as minerals, massive water bodies and arable land to attract investments to develop the province.