Government has expressed concern at the ran down Mununshi Banana scheme in Mwense District of the Luapula province.
Luapula Province Deputy Minister Davies Mwila said this when he made a spot check at the site accompanied by Finance deputy minister Alfridah Mwamba who is also Lukashya member of parliament.
Mr. Mwila said the Zambia Development Agency (ZDA ) should come in and help find the way forward in the matter because the project was too important to be wasted.
He said it was the cry of the people that the Banana Scheme should start operating to its full capacity because it was one of the three major Companies in the province.
He said the Mununshi Banana Scheme, Mansa Batteries and Kawambwa Tea Estate were the main drivers of the economy in the province and the three Companies should be revived in order to create employment for the people.
Efforts to get ZDA spokesperson Margret Chimanse for comment on the matter proved futile by press time as her mobile phone was unreachable.
And ministry of Finance and National Planning deputy minister Alfridah Mwamba was saddened that such a promising project went under after being privatized.
She said it was Government’s desire to seek ways of how such Companies could become viable again.
“We want to see how we can uplift the living standards of the people again,” she said.
And Mwense Central member of Parliament David Mabumba also expressed his concern after learning that 17 hectares of the scheme was destroyed by fire due to poor management.
He said Government needed to protect such projects because they were huge investments.
And Luapula Province Permanent Secretary Gabriel Kaunda said he was surprised that the scheme had gone to waste despite the weather conditions in the province being favourable to the growing of bananas as everyone wanted to buy them.
“In fact, the new varieties that are there now can even mature in three months,” he said.
And Mwense District Commissioner Henry Mg’omba said the Banana Scheme was an opportunity for the people in the area for income generating and its going under was a big blow to the local people.
The scheme, if properly managed could offer a great opportunity for job creation for the local people in the district once revived and operating at full capacity.This in turn could contribute to enhanced food security and economic development for the people in the area.
And an Accounts Clerk at the Scheme George Chibwe disclosed that the 316 hectare Banana scheme was sold at US$ 500,000.00 during the Privatization of State owned Enterprises period to a Ndola businessman called Findlay who failed to run it and instead turned the Plant into a brewery which did not go far and closed.
He said the last time bananas were harvested from the scheme was in 2008 after which period the 17 hectare field which was under banana stands cover got burnt due to poor management.
And an Area Development Committee Secretary Moses Mushiwe disclosed that the Ndola Businessman came with some Zambia National Service Officials from Lusaka in March this year with a view to selling the Scheme to them but have not come back since.
[ZANIS]
Now thats what i call real Bemba appetite..thez have eaten all the Banana together with the monkeys that lived there ..lol
Fack your you moron
People with a apparentlly with a sound mind prove the contrary by running to make a first coment. Point of correction to many ignorant Zambians: Luapula province in not Bemba land… All the misconceiption you have about the Bembas must be separated from the tribes of Luapula province.. For more information, if you can not believe what the Abena Chishinga, Abausi (Abaushi), Abatwa, abena Ng’umbo, etc,,, will tell you then get back to the Archives of Zambia Publishing House ” Grade 5 Social studies, Zambia primary course late 80’s – 2000″….
Govt should quickly come in and restore the pride of Mununshi.The scheme used to produce very good bananas.
These companies were abandoned during Chiluba’s reign with Sata and Ben Mwila as his chief right handmen between 1991 and 2001. Mwinilunga pinapple cannery, Mongu Cashew plant etc were all put to the sword by Kafupi and company. Ask Sata why it was necessary to abandon these companies. Dont tell me that he was only a Minister because Sata was so satisfied with Chiluba’s reign that he was his chief Third term campaigner between 1998 and 2001!
peter zuze is a fool
#3: Dabwiso: Sata was not the driver. The chap to blame was Chiluba. This issue of lacking foresight starts at family level. What you see at national level is a true reflection of our poor management of resources at family level. Every person wants to eat right away, hence the focus is on short-term investment that could support the bling bling lifestyle that Chiluba craved for. Now is the time to see if the government can kick start the project again. To keep blaming Sata is not a solution. Now is the time to review all the investment projects that KK left because MMD did nothing to prop them up for fear that UNIP would claim them back. In the end they hurt you and me, the ordinary Zambian. Never hurt a family, coz you will hurt yourself in the end; will we, as africans, ever learn?
Morons
Napapata nakabili mwebena Sambia, mukwai ndeimininaka aba Usi banandi aba ku Samfya uku cilishapofye imikowa yonse mu Luapula province to freely share this knowledge that Bemba speaking people are maily from the then Northen province… NEVER from kwesu uko tutobela flesi fisi. Ignorant peapole like # 1 don’t hasitate showing their whatever by striking an Innocent Bemba person over issues yamu Luapula,,, nokukuba bepesia ati bafuma kwesu!!
…….Ukukilisyapofye….*