Bank of Zambia (BOZ) Deputy Governor in charge of Operations Francis Chipimo has expressed happiness with the works at Kasenseli Gold mine in Mwinilunga district of North-Western province.

Dr Chipimo expressed confidence that once operational the mine will contribute to the country’s economy and further strengthen the country’s currency.

“We are encouraged and impressed on how they are operating, the opportunity they see to develop this mine has made me to be confident in this process,” he said.

ZANIS reports that Dr Chipimo was speaking when he visited Kasenseli gold mine in Mwinilunga district.

Bank of Zambia signed a Memorandum of understanding (MOU) in December last year with the Zambia Gold company that allows the bank to legally buy gold produced from Kasenseli mine.

He added that signing of the MOU will also allow the bank to stock up for the treasury and thus strengthen the local currency.

He pointed out that the MOU is bearing fruit and is key for the realization of the country’s economic recovery plan.

Dr Chipimo said the gold reserves will provide economic and financial stability as the Kwacha will compete with other foreign currencies and create economic resilience amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.

And Zambia Gold company Limited Project Manager Charles Mjumphi observed that the MOU between the two entities has made BOZ become the off takers of all the gold produced from Kasenseli mine.

“This partnership will go a long way in securing gold as a strategic reserve because all the production will find its way to the national coffers,” Mr Mjumphi said.

He assured BOZ that the company will endeavour to deliver in accordance with the agreement made between the two entities.

The Zambia Development Agency (c) has disclosed that government created more than 1000 jobs during first quarter OF 2021.

ZDA Policy and Research Manager, Stephen Chundama told ZANIS in an interview that 1,445 jobs have been created in this year’s first quarter representing an increase when compared to their target of 1,254.

He noted that among the sectors which presented the highest job creation was the agricultural sector with 668 jobs created.

He added that the manufacturing industry also created 216 jobs followed by other sectors.

Mr Chundama said the Government and the agency pays particular attention to empowering special groups which consist of vulnerable people in society by ensuring that they are taken care of.

He said most of these people are women and youths, and government has come up with empowerment programs to uplift the standards of these people in society.

“During this first quarter, 48 percent of male owned groups have been supported, followed by 28 percent of women groups while 24 percent presents the youths.

Our interventions also focuses on ensuring that these specific groups are well taken care and supported that’s why Government has embarked on different empowerment programs to enable these people earn a living,” he said.

He added that the agency provided business development services to a total of 1,075 Small Medium Enterprises (SMES) representing a 432 percent of their target.

He further said about 354 Small Medium Enterprises have benefited from these interventions.

Mr Chundama said in the provision of business intelligence and marketing formation 214 in total benefited under the program.

The Ngabwe Council has handed over wheel chairs and crutches to persons living with disabilities in the district worth over K72, 300.

Council Chairperson, Tabitso Mizinga gave out the 10 wheelchairs, 10 pairs of armpit crutches, five pairs of elbow and five pairs of walking sticks on behalf of President Edgar Lungu.

The donation was made during a church service at Chisanga Union Baptist Church in Ngabwe recently.

Ms Mizinga said the equipment is not enough to cover everyone and through her office, she would continue to engage higher offices for more funds to help in areas of need.

“As a church, may you continue to preach peace and unity and especially praying for the leaders of this country, what we have received today is just an indication that the Patriotic Front government is committed to improving the lives of the people,” she said.

Ms Mizinga also made a donation of 70 iron sheets costing over K10, 700 and encouraged other cooperating partners to come on board and help the vulnerable.

And Felix Pensulu, a beneficiary thanked the President and Ms Mizinga for the gesture saying the equipment will go a long way in helping improve their lives.

“It is not easy for persons with disability to move, being in a vulnerable and remote district makes it even hard for us to afford the equipment, we are very thankful for this gesture,” he said.

The Department of National Parks and Wildlife is calling for active participation of communities in protection of wildlife in Kalumbila district of North-western province.

Area Warden for Kalumbila district, Francis Samalumo said there is need for communities to be involved in wildlife protection if the numbers are to increase.

He told ZANIS in an interview in Kalumbila today that the department has embarked on a 10 day programme, to engage communities in chiefdoms on wildlife protection through the creation of wildlife protection committees.

“It is high time the communities showed active participation in wildlife protection if we must see the wildlife numbers increase. We want to ensure communities are involved to best address the problem. The committees have sub-committees which are referred to as village action groups and comprise of nine members appointed through an election,” Mr Samalumo said.

He bemoaned the low levels of wildlife in the game management area between Matebo and Musele chiefdoms.

“The game management area between Matebo and Musele chiefdom is much depleted owing to too much poaching activities in the area,” he said.

“In the recent past the department did not invest much in the protection of wildlife in the province. It is the least stocked in terms of wildlife and the closeness to the border areas, has also contributed to the depletion,” Mr Samalumo said.

He has disclosed that Kalumbila Minerals Limited (KML) has come on board to support the department.

“There is a lot of support coming from KML. They are helping us in the setting up of committees, they supported the training and funding of 17 game scouts, the provision of field kits, camping tents and weapons for operations,” he explained.

Mr Samalumo expressed happiness with the community initiative by the Musele chiefdom to establish the Kafumfula camp site.

“What the community of Musele has done is very encouraging. They have managed to establish the Kafumfula camp site with the help of KML. This will not only serve for adventure purposes but also one way of generating an income for the community,” he said.

Traders at Nyanji market in Ndola’s Twapia ward have joined efforts with the local authority to have the area legally structured.

ZANIS reports that this follows the degazzeting of the trading site by the Ndola city council (NCC) in a full council meeting held recently.

NCC public relations Manager Rabbeca Mushota said in a phone interview that the council was only providing technical advice and the project is solely being undertaken by the community.

And speaking in an interview, Twapia Councillor Gilbert Musonda confirmed the development and that works on site have commenced.

He said the project is estimated to cost K600 thousand and will accommodate a market shelter, an ablution block with piped water.

He has since appealed to stakeholders and well-wishers to contribute towards the project in monetary or materials form.

“The decision by the council to make the area a legal trading place is a boost for them to see to it that they trade in a conducive environment. We need poles, pipes, stones, bricks, sand, and cement to bring the project to fruition, we need the input of every citizenry,” he said.

And a traders found at the site expressed eagerness to have a sheltered market as they have for many years traded on open space.

Both Mary Muchemwa and Martin Mwale said trading at the Nyanji market has been compromised due to lack of sanitary facilities.

“Marketers usually come to Nyanji for their orders of agriculture produce, especially vegetables. But there is a business challenge we face at this site namely shelter, access to clean water, and toilets.

Government has released K1.8m to Kaoma District in Western Province for the vulnerable under the Social Cash Transfer (SCT).

District Commissioner, Vincent Mutti said the funds will be disbursed to the beneficiaries before the end of this week.

Ms Mutti stated that the release of the funds to the vulnerable in Kaoma, is a clear indication of President Edgar Lungu’s commitment in improving the welfare of people countrywide despite their political affiliations.

And Kaoma District Social Welfare Officer, Brian Kashimoto said the funds will benefit 5,781 beneficiaries on SCT and that payments would be done bi-monthly with effect from January 2021.

“The government has revised bi-monthly transfer amounts with effect from January 2021 as follows; households with disabled will now be getting K600 from K360 and other households like the chronically ill, the female headed, the aged, and child headed households will be receiving K300 from K180 every month,” Mr Kashimoto explained.

Mr Kashimoto thanked government for releasing the funds and pledged to ensure that it is given to the intended beneficiaries.

Currently the number of SCT beneficiaries in Western Province stands at 79, 464 and the number will soon increase to 101,000.

The Edgar Chagwa Lungu Multi-purpose Empowerment Cooperative has empowered various youth and women groups in Mambwe district with assorted items as capital to enhance their livelihood.

The empowerment given to cooperatives includes broiler chicks, starter and grower chicken feed, roofing sheets and cement, water pumps, sewing machines and groceries.

And presenting the empowerment in Mambwe, Edgar Chagwa Lungu Multi-purpose Empowerment Cooperative Coordinator, Fuli Msimuko urged the beneficiaries to put the empowerment they have received to good use so that they are able to sustain themselves.

Mr Msimuko stated that the cooperatives were being empowered because President Lungu hates poverty that is why he does not want to see his people suffer.

“The empowerment you are receiving today has nothing to do with politics. The president has friends who help him and with the help that he receives from others, he is sharing with you who are benefiting today because it hurts him to see people languish in poverty,” he said.

Mr Msimuko further encouraged recipients of the empowerment to work together instead of fighting.

“It is common for chaos to erupt when money and other things that bring about profits are involved. However, I’m urging you as the messenger for the president that you must strive to work peacefully with each other so that the businesses that you will engage yourselves in can bring about fruits,” he stated.

He further added that the ECL MPEC team will keep on monitoring and evaluating from time to time how the beneficiaries make use of the different items they have received.

Meanwhile, Chiyambi Cha Zimayi Women’s Group Chairperson, Violet Zulu thanked President Lungu for his efforts in trying to better the lives of citizens especially the vulnerable in society.

“We are thankful to the Republican President for all the good things he keeps doing for us. We now see that our votes that helped him be in that position were not in vain,” she stated.

Government on the Copperbelt Province has embarked on an exercise to identify crops that are climate resistant.

ZANIS reports that the District Agriculture Coordinating Office (DACO) and the Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit (DMMU) are the two departments tasked to undertake the exercise.

Speaking in an interview, DMMU Copperbelt Province Coordinator, George Akalemwa disclosed that the two departments have been working together and that the findings are yet to be concluded.

Mr Akalemwa pointed out that once concluded, the information will assist government in putting up an intervention that modify the vulnerability of the agricultural produce.

He stressed that most studies covered have interlinked impact of climate change to low yield in crop produce thereby affecting food security at household level.

“The purpose of the exercise is to gather information in the districts on crops which farmers can grow and obtain a good yield in order to maintain food security”, said Mr Akalemwa.

“Climate change is widely regarded as a threat to food security with the worst affected being small scale farmers, ” he added.

Mr Akalemwa added that the impact of climate change is evident in the province and its effects is being experienced from the flash floods and high temperatures experienced in selected districts.

However, he was quick to mention that government did move in earlier and responded to the impact by supporting households with relief foods.

“DMMU unit has mitigated the impact experienced in the just ended rain season and made sure no one died during this period. Whenever disaster is recorded in any part of the Copperbelt province, we are alert as a unit and we move in on time” he said.

Mr Akalemwa said where there is food insecurity, mealie meal has been provided and where floods have been recorded, and settlers are moved to new locations.

“The traditional leaders in the province have also been helpful with providing information, which has enabled this government attended to its citizenry on time,” he said.