By JUDITH NAMUTOWE –
THE Zambia Development Agency (ZDA) has given Sunbird Bio-energy Africa an investment licence to set up a US$150 million ethanol plant in Luena farm bloc in Kawambwa District of Luapula Province.
Pambashe Member of Parliament Ronald Chitotela expressed hope that the country would see the first ethanol plant being set up in Kawambwa soon.
The United Kingdom (UK) based firm is set to invest US$150 million in the production of ethanol in Zambia targeting to produce 120 million Litres of fuel grade annually.
“As am speaking to you the investor has been given the license and I have the copy of the certificate to this effect.
“So if what we are discussing comes to fruition, we should be able to see the first ethanol plant being set up in Kawambwa district depending on how fast we will move as Government to actualise the
transaction with the investor.
The investor who is willing to invest US$150 million as a starter capital has even obtained the license from ZDA and I have the certificate to that effect,” Mr Chitotela said.
Mr Chitotela who had a successful meeting with his Chipili counterpart, Davies Mwila and the investor, said Sunbird Bio-energy Africa was ready to set up a plant.
He expressed hope that the project could be launched in November and that first Republican president Kenneth Kaunda has been invited for the ground breaking ceremony which could take place even before.
In a separate interview, Luapula Province Permanent Secretary Boniface Chimbwali said the leaders in the region were excited because the project would create in excess of 20,000 jobs for local people in
Kawambwa and surrounding areas.
Mr Chimbwali explained that, he recently received a delegation of principal investors who travelled to Kawambwa on a conducted tour of Luena farm bloc where a biofuel refinery plant would be set up.
He said the delegation that had a successful tour was impressed with the allocated area and promised to go back to Kawambwa to recruit over 2000 out-grower farmers next month.