. Sichinga

By KAIKO NAMUSA –

THE Citizens Economic Empowerment Commission (CEEC) has disbursed K1.8 million to 18 groups and entrepreneurs for various projects in Petauke District in Eastern Province.?

Commerce, Trade and Industry Minister Bob Sichinga said the beneficiaries would engage mainly in milling and manufacturing activities to help tackle challenges of poverty and job creation, which was pegged at 116.?

He said this in Petauke on Tuesday during a workshop to highlight the objectives of the CEEC in empowering people, which was also attended by traditional leaders and business groups.?

Some of the beneficiaries that received funding were Lusanjo Business Management with a total of K500, 000, Naniwe Oil Miller got K396, 640, while Nandi Electrical received K290, 640.?Others are Lejamac General Dealers, Get In Time Transport and Miracles Trading who each received K79, 880.?

Mr Sichinga said funds disbursed under the CEEC was not for charity and was not targeted at members of any political party.

It was aimed at empowering citizens so that they could embark on projects that would also have a trickle-down effect of fighting poverty levels and create jobs.?

He said value addition to produce, especially from the agricultural sector would help to spur development in Petauke and Eastern Province.?

‘‘Government wants to ensure that there is value addition to produce in the districts and we are targeting to achieve this through the setting up of industrial clusters in all the districts. We also need to boost markets for these products and boost industrial performance,’’ he said.?

Eastern Province Permanent Secretary Chileshe Mulenga called on the urgent establishment of Multi-Facility Economic Zones (MFEZs) in the province citing its strategic location as the gateway to the Nacala Corridor.?He said with infrastructure development taking place in the road sector, it was also vital that the economic zones were established to trigger industrial growth adding that the economy of the province was targeted to grow by at least 50 per cent by 2016.?

The Government was committed to reduce hurdles faced in the process of establishing business to help achieve the targeted growth rate so that the investment being recorded did not end up in futility.?

‘‘Lusaka has various MFEZs but in Eastern Province, we do not have any.?These are strategic in helping boost industrial activity, especially that the province is strategically located.?

‘‘We have the Mchinji Railway line, which is helping to drive development. Eastern Province has great potential to help contribute to the country’s economic growth,’’ Dr Mulenga said.?

He called on traditional rulers in the region to avail more land for development, especially for agricultural purposes.?

In response, Mr Sichinga assured that all the provinces would have MFEZs and that the process was already underway.?‘‘This process is already being undertaken, we have started this already and all the provinces will have the MFEZs established,’’ he said.