GOVT ASSURES COOPERATIVES RUNNING SOLAR MILLING

GOVERNMENT has assured cooperatives running the solar milling plants dotted across the country that a lasting solution aimed at boosting production of maize and maize meal will soon be rolled out.

It is concerning that milling plants across the country where going to waste, says Small and Medium Enterprise Development Minister, Elias Mubanga.

Mr Mubanga noted that the Ministry is already in talks with a Technical Company that has expressed interest in offering technical assistance to enable the cooperatives operationalise the machinery to full capacity.

He stated that soon the company would be unveiled to the benefit of co-operators who will have access to the much-needed spare parts and technical support.

Mr Mubanga said this on Wednesday when he toured some solar milling plants in Lupososhi District of Northern

Province.

“As a Ministry charged with the responsibility of cooperative development and entrepreneurship it will soon roll out a programme aimed at supporting cooperatives that benefitted from the solar milling plants in order to boost their maize production and boost production capacity of mealie meal,” he said.

Mr Mubanga pointed out that the solar milling plants were established to enable cooperatives engage into more sustainable business ventures that enables them to contribute effectively to the economy.

Meanwhile, cooperatives visited among them Buseko Cooperative Representative in Lupososhi District lamented some challenges they were facing in operationalizing the milling plants.

Some of the challenges highlighted by the co-operators included lack of spare parts, maintenance capacity, resource capacity, lack of batteries to operate the machinery under varied weather conditions among others.