1000 TRADERS TO BENEFIT FROM FUNDING INITIATIVE

MORE than 1000 marketeers, traders and vendors in Kalulushi district of the Copperbelt Province are to benefit from the Presidential Empowerment Initiative Fund (PEIF).

However beneficiaries are being reminded to pay back the loans to facilitate smooth operations of the initiative.

Launching the project, PEIF National Coordinator Clement Tembo said the Initiative will start with empowering 300 marketeers in the district before it could roll out the facility to other marketeers in the district.

Mr Tembo said the initiative by President Edgar Lungu was non-partisan and beneficiaries should not be swayed by overzealous politicians eager to gain mileage out of the well-intended project.

"The President means well on this project and if you are paying back this loan, this initiative will help others improve their base.

“We are targeting to empower 1000 marketeers, traders and vendors in Kalulushi. We will start with 300 marketeers before we increase to 1000 marketeers in the district," Mr. Tembo said.

"We will have offices in the markets where you, the marketeers will be visiting us if you want to get a loan. The only qualification for a marketeer to get a loan is to be a Zambian with a valid NRC.

"After we get your NRC and cellphone number, we will then follow you at your stand to see what you sell. This is non-partisan and please don't come with your party regalia to come and get a loan. You will not get it," he warned.

And speaking earlier, Kalulushi Mayor Rashida Mulenga expressed optimism that the initiative would be utilised for its envisioned goals by the beneficiaries. She echoed Mr. Tembo’s advise on recipients to ensure that loans were paid back.

"Now, that we have been given this loan, let us not let down the President. Let us ensure that we make it successful by paying back so that even our colleagues can benefit from these funds," Ms Mulenga directed.