By BENEDICT TEMBO
Lumezi Town Council chairperson Oliver Mwale has commended Indo Zambia Bank for its commitment to uplifting the welfare of people in Lumezi District. IZB has through its corporate social responsibility offered to sink five boreholes to improve access to portable water following a request by the local authority.
Mr Mwale said the local authority was delighted for the gesture by the bank as it will benefit hundreds of its residents, particularly those in the remotest parts of Lumezi who lack access to clean drinking water.
“We are also grateful that as a bank, you have extended services of some agents in Lumezi thereby, cutting down on travel costs and time for our people seeking your banking services in the nearest town of Lundazi,” Mr Mwale said during a recent meeting with IZB delegation managing director, Kowdichar Shashidhar.
He described Mr Shashidhar’s visit to the district as historic since his appointment in 2020.
“Lumezi Town Council is proud to associate itself with Indo Zambia Bank and is committed to continue supporting you as a business to grow. I wish to bring to your attention that as a local authority, we currently hold five different bank accounts with your bank and 98 percent of our employees are banking with you. This shows how much confidence the people have in your bank,” Mr Mwale said
He also said Lumezi district has many beneficiaries of the Constituency Development Fund grants and community project contractors banking with IZB.
“You may further wish to know that we are a ripe investment destination for any business venture including mining, tourism and agriculture among others,” Mr Mwale said
He appealed to the bank to consider erecting a shelter at Lumezi sub centre and Kateme bus stops.
“This is because currently, our people lack proper shelter at the two bus stops. Your assistance would go a long way. I also wish to appeal to the bank to consider prioritising our local contractors and beneficiaries of the Constituency Development Fund projects who wish to acquire loans from the bank,” Mr Mwale said.
He said local contractors should be prioritized beneficiaries because they have contracts with the local authority. Mr Mwale further appealed to the bank to consider street lighting under its corporate social responsibility.
“As a district, we have continued to grapple with long hours of load shedding as we are not yet connected to the national grid and total darkness is a security concern to us. We hereby urge the bank to consider assisting in lighting up our streets, especially the sub centre where there is a market, a mission hospital and a nursing college,” he said.
Mr Mwale appealed to IZB to consider extending more of its services to Lumezi, which has a huge market potential.
“We have many farmers, predominantly tobacco farmers who are still unbanked and keeping their monies at home due to the long distance to the nearest banking facility. Therefore, extending your services here would contribute positively to government’s quest of achieving financial inclusion and digital banking,” Mr Mwale said
And Mr Shashidhar, who was accompanied by IZB General Manager, Godwin Ngoma, Head of Operations, Sugeth Sethi and Lundazi Branch Manager, Mildred Bwalya said the financial institution, a successful joint venture between the governments of Zambia and India, was committed to help develop Zambia.
You mean this council can not sink 5 bore holes with CDF…anyway this is the place that voted for that kid as MP.