All applicants to K30m youth empowerment to get money

PRESIDENT Edgar Lungu has directed that all artists who will apply for the K30 million youth empowerment scheme must access the funds.

And Minister of Tourism and Arts Ronald Chitotela said Government was eager to transform the arts industry because it was critical to the country’s economic growth.

President Lungu in a speech read for him by the Vice President Inonge Wina yesterday during the launch of Presidential Choral Arts Festival and the K30 million youth empowerment scheme targeting artists, said it was prudent that even artists in remote parts of the country benefited from the stimulus package which had been provided by the Government.

The Head of State said “The scheme will enable the youths to transform the communities through the talent that God gave you.

President Lungu urged the National Arts Council to take a consultative approach so that the scheme benefited many artists.

He said all the artists who would apply must be given an opportunity to access the funds.

“I am also reliably informed that the guidelines of the scheme were developed in consultation with art leaders and the Citizen Economic Empowerment Commission. This was to ensure that the scheme respond to the needs of artists.

Engage the National Arts Council and CEEC and access the funds, and when you are successful be sure to be accountable for the funds and use them for the intended purpose,” he said.

You have been asking for such an intervention from your Government, Mr Lungu said, and it is the time do the work that is supposed to be done.

President Lungu also said that about 10,000 arts would benefit from the scheme but Government intended to increase the number to 15,000.

And Minister of Tourism and Arts Mr Chitotela said the artists had lost income opportunities during the Covid 19 period and that was the reason Government had stepped in to respond to their needs.

He said Government wanted to ensure that the welfare of the artists around the country was improved.

Mr Chitotela however said that not all artists would access the money at same time but they must rest be assured that the fund was a revolving one and many artists would therefore benefit.

Meanwhile, National Arts Council chairperson Patrick Samwimbila said the funds would be disbursed next month.

He said user friendly channels had been developed to allow artists across the country apply for the funds which Government had provided.