Luapula Province Minister Chilangwa has hailed the Citizens Economic Empowerment Commission (CEEC) for investing in projects that are lifting people out of poverty in Luapula Province.
Mr. Chilangwa says Luapula Province has been a key beneficiary of various CEEC financing schemes.
ZANIS reports that the Minister was speaking when CEEC Director General Likando Mukumbuta paid a courtesy call on him in MANSA.
Mr. Chilangwa cited the construction of the first ever industrial yard in Mansa’s Luka Kapasha area, the financing of Kumil Energy, a sugar project in Mwansabombwe District, loan facilities granted to private persons among others as some of the CEEC projects.
He described the projects as life-changing that have gone a long way in alleviating poverty through job creation.
Mr. Chilangwa commended CEEC for partnering with Tatwakakulabe, a Mansa firm in establishing the Mansa Starch Processing Company.
And Mr. Mukumbuta has disclosed that CEEC has partnered with Tatwakakulabe Construction Company to come up with the Mansa Starch Processing Company in its quest to help build local businesses.
Mr. Mukumbuta explains that under the agreement CEEC as equity is injecting K6 Million into the company.
The Director General said so far CEEC has financed the acquisition of a processing plant, an office block and a cassava bulking centre in Mansa’s Bahati Constituency.
Mr. Mukumbuta said the financing has also included the recruitment of the cassava out-grower farmers.
He said CEEC is no longer providing loan facilities to the company because the commission is committed to investing an indigenous Zambian company.
Meanwhile, Luapula Permanent Secretary Charles Mushota has reiterated the Provincial Administration’s resolve to transform cassava into a cash crop.
Mr. Mushota noted that government has demonstrated commitment to attracting more investors in the cassava value chain in the Province.
NICKSON CHILANGWA IS THE MOST HARD WORKING AND THEREFORE, THE BEST MINISTER IN ZAMBIA. I WISH WE HAD MORE OF HIS CALIBRE.
“To transform cassava into a cash crop”……. same exact words I heard 20 years ago from a government official visiting an agriculture research institution addressing small scale and subsistence farmers gracing a field day! The shelves in government offices are heavy laden with documentation on poverty alleviation interventions most generated by home grown officers working for government but no one has time to dust them and read the contents! Zambia is not progressing to anywhere as stagnation gets perpetrated through repetitions of the already tested! Implementation is what should have been happening!