Copperbelt Minister, Elisha Matambo, has urged church leaders in the region to come up with business proposals and apply for Constituency Development Funds (CDF) loans that will help the church grow financially.
Mr. Matambo said churches can open up businesses using loans from CDF and from the small and medium enterprise empowerment component under the Citizens Economic Empowerment Commission (CEEC).He said the funds will add up to the country’s economy and also help families and churches in various communities to be stable financially.
The Minister said this during a church service at Glory Worship Ministries International in Lubuto township in Ndola yesterday.
He said cooperatives which have good projects are being given funds amounting to K40 ,000 to start up businesses hence the need for community members to also apply for such loans.
And Mr. Matambo has disclosed that the Constituency Development Funds for Kabushi constituency is still in the Ndola City Council account awaiting approval of projects to be undertaken in the constituency.
“There are a lot of projects that people can apply for which include bursaries for skills training for the youths as well as empowerment for the women and youths hence the need for the people to apply and benefit,” he said.
And Glory Worship Ministries International Bishop, Amos Kanyankula, said the church members have already formed cooperatives and applied for (CDF) under Kabushi constituency but no response has been made yet.
Bishop Kanyankula said the people are still waiting for the approval and release of the CDF in Kabushi.
He has meanwhile thanked the government for restoring peace in the country by banning senseless caderism especially in public places such as markets and bus stations.
He explained that some cadres used to terrorise the church by trying to encroach on its land but he fought through until government removed them.
The invisible money
The PF was condemned for this very act.
Just watching
This loud mouth frog is at it again …if Church wants to apply for CDF they should apply following all the channels plus why should they even apply for a loan when they have gullible docile followers giving them tithes every Sunday which tax free.
You , Imenda and Gary should go! You are liabilities to the party.
Why should the taxpayers of Zambia subsidise the operations of churches? This fool is out of control. People have no running water, no toilets, no roads and no schools; and you want to give government money to churches which have headquarters in Europe and America? Where are the guidelines HH said were set for the use of this CDF money?
Talk to the dioices and the bishop.
Go and give Malanji the money for the development of Kwacha.
What is the prime purpose of the CDF?
Who should apply as beneficiaries?
The Fund still lying in Councils when the budget financial year ends in December, how will recipients have their share before time?
Can we have stock of municipals /councils that have paid out monies before?
Do we have a framework?
Are churches originally part of these Funds or it is owing to bye elections in Kitwe?
What is this nonsense about applying…………. PF empowered their members and their Youths. We are suffering as Youths of this party. This not what we expected after we fought so hard to grow this party. We have bn abandonedby our own party. Ni pano tuli!!
Ideally Churches are sustained by contributions from the general membership. Ministers of the word endure several hardships and aren’t attracted to worldly possessions, hence the term: Calling. If you priest lives lavishly then it’s not a calling, he’s a businessman. It’s therefore misplaced to entice churches into businesses. Real churches don’t do that. This is the reason we of the older generation think that Pentecostals are a fraud. They can do anything for money. Matambo has just run out of ideas. He doesn’t know what to do. Let him consult us and we’ll guide him at no cost
Churches aren’t business ventures. They aren’t on earth to do business but to preach the word of God.
Why do you want to entice them into practices contrary to their mission?
Why give money to churches they have no experience in running businesses and they don’t pay vat or tax to ZRA. so they should get nothing. why should they compete with real business who do have to pay vat and taxes.