By STEVEN ZANDE –
THE Zambia National Marketeers and Credit Association (ZANAMACA) has commended Government for signing a Statutory Instrument (SI) that will introduce the bus stations and markets fund.
Local Government and Housing Minister Vincent Mwale, at the fifth ordinary council meeting in Lusaka recently said now that the fund had come into effect, all councils should contribute to the facility
ZANAMACA president Mupila Kameya said the move would help organise the informal sector and enhance its ability to create wealth and jobs.
Mr Kameya said this would also result into establishment of a robust market structure, thereby encouraging more people to trade from markets as opposed to street vending.
“To us this is a milestone achievement as it demonstrates that Government is seriously looking into the plight of the informal sector which is a crucial driver of economic growth,” Mr Kameya said.
He said in an interview that the fund which would facilitate refurbishment and construction of market structures would help streamline small scale business empowerment schemes.
He said market leaders would be crucial in identifying suitable members to access funding for business expansion and this would help improve income in the informal sector.
“This will make empowerment schemes like the Presidential Empowerment Initiative be  more effective as people would be identified and tracked to measure the impact of the funds on their small enterprises,” he said.