By JUDITH NAMUTOWE –
DEVELOPMENT of a Multi Facility Economic Zone (MFEZ) in Chembe District is threatened with poor supply of electricity.
Luapula Province Permanent Secretary Bornface Chimbwali said as a result of the poor supply of power, various investors were not comfortable to establish their presence in the MFEZ area.
Mr Chimbwali said it was difficult for investors to bring in investment in the MFEZ which was still being marketed by the Zambia Development Agency (ZDA) due to the power supply problem.
“There is huge potential in the MFEZ project but what is threatening investment is the poor supply of electricity and investors are not comfortable with this state of affairs, so this has to be addressed as a matter of urgency,” he said.
Government secured about 4,000 hectares of land for the establishment of the MFEZ in Chembe to help spur development in the province.
ZDA MFEZ manager Robert Banda said that the Agency had managed to secure more than 3,000 hectares of land from traditional leaders meant for the establishment of the MFEZ.
The Permanent Secretary however said that the provincial administration had received overwhelming response from investors but this being strained due to the power problem.
Mr Chimbwali said investors needed adequate power supply invest in the MFEZ.
