Innovating the Future – CEC to host ‘Innovation Hub’ at Copperbelt Expo
Copperbelt Energy Corporation Plc (CEC) Managing Director, Mr. Owen Silavwe has invited schools, universities and other individuals with innovative solutions and ideas to come forward and showcase them at the Company’s planned innovation hub to be hosted at the upcoming Copperbelt Investment Expo (CIEX) scheduled for 24 to 29 June.
Silavwe made the call in Kitwe when he presented the Company’s sponsorship of K400,000 to Copperbelt Province Minister, Mr. Japhen Mwakalombe.
“We are not only contributing by giving money, we will also host something we are calling CEC Innovation Centre where we want to bring in all innovation from school pupils, university students and many more other sectors to come and showcase their ideas,” Silavwe said.
He reiterated that the Copperbelt was CEC’s home, because the Company’s operational core is located there, and that CEC was keen to support the Expo and all other initiatives helpful in promoting the diversification and growth of the Province’s economy.
Silavwe said CEC understood the importance of hosting investment expositions to promote partnerships, enhance networking, and showcase investment opportunities across sectors. He noted that the event was timely, coming at the backdrop of discussions to diversify the Province’s dependence on mining.
He resounded CEC’s keenness to partner with other investors to ensure that power infrastructure was developed to improve the energy sector in Zambia.
“As CEC, we remain supportive and continue to partner with government and other investors to improve the energy sector as well as the communities we operate in. With more planning and analysis to ascertain causes of the climatic challenges the country is experiencing with particular respect to the effects on energy, such as water shortages which is affecting power generation.”
He spoke optimistically that the government and the private sector, working together, would find a sustainable solution to the challenges.
Copperbelt Province Minister, Mr. Japhen Mwakalombe extolled CEC for the financial contribution to the Expo and its plans to host an innovation hub and highly credited the Company’s success to saying it’s innovative ways of conducting its business.
The Minister said CEC was one of those private entities that upholds the country’s image as it was a Zambian owned and run business. He emphasised that the Company’s success goes to show that Zambians can actually start a business and grow it into a success story of international stature.
Event in pictures
