Minister Wants Defence Forces to Engage in Zambia's Production

Minister of Defence, Ambrose Lufuma, has announced that the government is considering plans to engage all three wings of the country’s Ministry of Defence in Zambia’s production output.

According to the plan, the three components of the armed forces – the Zambia National Service (ZNS), Zambia Army, and Zambia Air Force (ZAF) – would all engage their efforts to in enhancing the country’s production.

The minister’s announcement came during his familiarisation tour of the defence forces’ general operations. His visits are also a means for him to monitor the welfare of those in uniform in Western Province. There, he met with Provincial permanent Secretary, Simono Akapelwa, in Mongu.

The ZNS is already engaging its efforts in agriculture, but there is plenty of scope in other industries, such as tourism, manufacturing, and transport, that would benefit from the additional aid of the armed forces. Such a move would be emulating the work done but the military in countries such as Egypt and Rwanda.

According to Lufuma, “As defence forces, we can only succeed in production through serious orientation and bringing on board everyone from top command to the least person”.

Akapelwa in return was very complimentary about the support offered by the Ministry of Defence in the Province. He said, “I also applaud the Ministry of Defence for quickly moving in when asked to provide road and air transport in delivering relief food, Food Reserve Agency (FRA) stocks and in national exercises such as census and elections”.