By JOHN SAKALA
Chingola Chamber of Commerce First vice President Emmanuel Gardner has demanded for the immediate importation of power by Zesco.
Speaking with The Independent Observer in an interview, Mr Gardner said running a business without power is unproductive.
He said running a power generator set for 12 hours a day is expensive.
“We implore Zesco to import power, this life of no power is so unproductive and very bad for the nation.
“Load shedding has already negatively affected the economy such that the country has registered negative two (-2%) of its projected 2019 Annual Gross Domestic Products (GDP) and we can’t afford to record further loses,” he said.
Mr Gardner who is the managing Director for Yellow Quip was not speaking on behalf of the members of the Chamber but he was also an affected business executive.
He said power is the engine of the economy and the absence of it affects all sectors.
Some two months ago, Supremacy Investment Managing Director Stephen Chishimba had equally called on Zesco to immediately import power to save the Zambian economy.
He said load-shedding was negatively affecting the Zambian economy and importing is a sure way to immediately mitigate the situation.
“With business, it becomes more expensive if you don’t produce than when you produce and get almost zero profit. Zesco should immediately consider importing power so that the economy of Zambia is not stagnated. Even if Zesco will be making zero profit it is worthy it because the economy will run,” he said.
