The Citizens Economic Empowerment Commission (CEEC) has this year allocated K35 million to 147 processing and production projects in the 10 provinces of Zambia.

Of the 147 projects, 94 are for processing while 53 are for production.

The funds will be channeled towards setting up of dairy, fish, rice, palm oil and cotton industries in Lusaka, Copperbelt, Eastern, Luapula, and Central provinces among others.

CEEC Director General Likando Mukumbuta said out of the K35 million, K25 million was received from the national treasury while K10 million was coming from loan recoveries.

Mr. Mukumbuta said at a media briefing in Lusaka today that the commission was prioritising funding to processing applications while funding for production will depend on the industry and market in question.

He has since disclosed that this year, CEEC received over 8, 000 proposals from 30 districts across the country out of the 17, 000 applications forms that were collected.

From 1st March to 15th April this year, CEEC called for proposals and provided simplified forms online and through council offices countrywide.

Mr. Mukumbuta said the CEEC has improved its loan recovery rate by almost 50 per cent and pledged that the commission will remain committed to being transparent in its operations.

He said as of September last year, the recovery rate stood at 37 per cent accounting for K1.2 million (K1.2 billion old currency) but it now stands at 42 per cent accounting for K1.8 million (K1.8 billion old currency).

He said the commission will strive to improve the recovery rate and position itself favourably for the country.

“CEEC is not a safety net. We don’t give grants. Come to us for business and we are ready to support you as we embark on rural development of the country,” he said.

Following the lifting of the suspension of the empowerment fund on 13th February 2013 by the then Minister of Commerce, Trade and Industry Robert Sichinga, the Citizen Economic Empowerment Commission directed 90 per cent of the fund to rural areas this year.

This is through a process of rural industrialization that will result in new processing industries being established in rural areas in all provinces of Zambia in the proportion of three districts in each province this year.

At least 70 per cent of the resources are expected to benefit women and young people.

Meanwhile, Mr. Mukumbuta has said the CEEC has approved 16 projects for funding in the tourism sector at a cost of more than K20 million ahead of the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) general assembly that will be co-hosted by Zambia and Zimbabwe next month.

This follows the Zambia Tourism Board (ZTB) invitation to the commission to participate in the preparations for the assembly.

Mr. Mukumbuta said this will go towards upgrading of hospitality facilities owned by Zambians to notable standards that match the more than 4,000 delegates the country is expecting to receive.

Among the hospitality projects approved by the CEEC are Chapa Classic Lodge and Tours, Eliba Apartments, Falls Spot Lodges, Goodwill Guest House and Heritage Restaurant.

ZANIS

All Public Service Vehicles will from mid next month be expected to have a new colour code unique per province in line with a new law announced by government.

The Statutory Instrument No 39 of 2013 of the Road Transport Act of 2002 has been amended to include new colour schemes per province.

Transport, Communications, Works and Supply Minister Yamfwa Mukanga said the reflective colours per province will address concerns of pirate taxis or cars that are used for the conveyance of passengers on hire as taxis without being licensed.

Mr. Mukanga told a media briefing that the new regulation identifies a public service vehicle by its colour code, registration mark, identify and fleet number.

The Transport, Communications, Works and Supply Minister said public service vehicles on the Copperbelt will be painted in Copper, Central Province will have Yellow and Eastern Province will have Emerald Green while Luapula and Lusaka provinces will adopt Sky Blue and Orange respectively.

Northern Province will have Red, Northwestern will take up Silver, Muchinga will have Wispy/Lime Green while Southern Province will have purple-Amethyst and Western Province will have Light Brown.

He said specific changes in the regulation include the need for all passenger public services to have a reflective ribbon fixed which shall be ten centimeters in width, pasted from the front to the rear on the mid-section of both sides of the vehicles.

Mr. Mukanga said taxis will be further fitted with an illuminating lamp and display designated tax fleet code ion the side door.

He said operators who own a fleet of more than 30 vehicles may apply to the Director of the Road transport and Safety Agency for a grace period to implement the new regulation.

Mr. Mukanga said luxury coaches will be exempted from the above provisions of colour specification.

He said the new regulations take effect from August 15 2013.

Swala-Zambia Limited has announced a reserve of US$23 million for hydrocarbon oil exploration works in Southern, Northern and Eastern provinces of Zambia.

Swala-Zambia Limited board Chairman Charles Milupi said the company last week applied to the Ministry of Mines, Energy and Natural Resources for the exploration works and hoped that the bids will be considered expeditiously.

Mr. Milupi said the bids were for the permits known as block 31 for Lake Tanganyika, block 42 for oil exploration in Luangwa basin while block 44 is for Kariba basin exploration respectively.
He disclosed this development at a press briefing in Lusaka today.

Mr. Milupi also said Swala-Zambia Limited has set aside huge amounts money for training of manpower and for the entrepreneurship for exploration activities.

And speaking at the same briefing, Company Chief Operating Officer Davies Sikatali said the company was also expected to employee over 500 people during the exploration period.

Mr. Sikatali further revealed that over 2,500 employees were expected to be employed when the company kick starts full oil exploration in areas where oil products will be discovered.

He said Swala-Zambia Limited will complement government efforts in job creation and improving the economy of the country.

ZANIS

FIRST Quantum Minerals Limited (FQM) says it expects to employ 2,000 people once it starts production at Kalumbila mine by the year 2015.

FQM Public Relations manager Godfrey Msiska says a further 500 more are expected to be employed with mining giant once the smelter is opened at Kansanshi mine in Solwezi by the year 2015.

Mr. Msiska said once Kalumbila mine goes into production, by 2015, the Copper mine is expected to increase output arising from the expansions at Kansanshi mine.

ZANIS reports that the FQM Public Relations manager said this in an interview at the just ended Zambia International Trade Fair (ZITF) whose theme was “Value Addition through Global Partnership” in Ndola.

“FQM is expected to ramp up its copper production to 700,000 mtpa by 2015 with the completion of Sentinel Mine and increased output arising from expansions at Kansanshi Mine” Mr. Msiska said.

He said FQM is the largest Copper producer in Africa and it has boosted the Zambian enterprise by spending more than US$ 1 billion through the supply of contracts to Zambian companies in sourcing goods and services from local suppliers and constructors.

He said FQM was optimistic that the 500 job earmarked for downsizing at the under- construction Sentinel mine can be saved.
He also revealed that FQM has acquired Inmet, a Canadian based mining company that produces Copper and Zinc.

Mr. Msiska highlighted that the mining company successfully completed the offer of 92.74 percent of Inmet shares tendered.

“As FQM we want to say that shareholders who tendered their shares between March 12 and April 1, 2013 and elected the cash alternative will receive $36.00 in cash and 1.6484 common shares,” he said.

He said Inmet has three wholly-owned mining operations in Cayeli (Turkey), Pyliasami (Finland) and Las Cruces (Spain).

ZANIS