Ministry of Commerce Trade and Industry has revealed that the Citizens Economic Empowerment Commission has disbursed one hundred and eight million six hundred thousand Kwacha to fund a total of one thousand five hundred and ninety-nine projects across the country between 2013 and 2018.
Minister in charge Christopher Yaluma says 56 districts have benefited in all ten provinces of the country targeting several value chains including gemstones, fish, cotton, block making and tourism among others.
Mr. Yaluma has reiterated that government has further secured a 20 million US dollars loan from the African Development Bank to establish 8 industrial yards under the CEEC.
He has called on the business community to take advantage of the various policy measures in place as opposed to spending time lamenting the about the many challenges that they face.
He was speaking at the thirty third Annual General Meeting for the Zambia Association of Manufacturers (ZAM) under the theme Value Addition for Economic Recovery
Speaking at the same Event, ZAM President Roseta Chabala says there is need to address the challenges that the sector is facing in the country in order for its contribution to GDP to improve.
Ms. Chabala has cited challenges including unstable Tax Policy, rising cost of doing business, export trade barriers, persistence of illicit trade and under-utilization of local content.
The Meeting brings together Manufacturers and other Key Stakeholders to discuss issues affecting the growth of businesses and the development of the Manufacturing sector in Zambia among other issues.