Traders appeal for empowerment

THE Association of Vendors and Marketeers (AVEMA) has appealed to Government to boost their business capital by providing them with soft loans.

In an interview in Kitwe, AVEMA president Abel

Chikwa said the Covid-19 pandemic has badly hit the vendors and traders.

“Business is very bad as people are not buying and our perishable products like vegetables and tomatoes just go to waste as people are not buying because of the their reduced buying power.

“We are now appealing to Government to bail us out through soft loans under the Presidential Empowerment Initiative,” Mr Chikwa explained.

He explained that the marketers on the Copperbelt had not received any support under the presidential empowerment programme and were hoping to be helped this year.

Mr Chikwa however stated that members have received empowerment funds from the area Member of Parliament Alexander Chiteme but it was not enough to significantly boost their businesses in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Meanwhile, Mr Chikwa has commended Government for the reduced electricity load shedding as traders were able to work for long hours and capture buyers who knock off late.

He said those running butcheries, salons and those selling drinks and other perishables that need refrigeration were able to run their businesses smoothly with the availability of electricity.

Traders and vendors had been hit by the long hours of load shedding that the country which interrupted the hours of conducting business.

Last week, ZESCO announced the end of load shedding - ZANIS