‘CHITAMBO CASSAVA MILLING PLANT NEEDS EQUITY PARTNERS’

By NOEL IYOMBWA

CHITAMBO District Business Association interim chairperson David Lwenji says the Chitambo Cassava Milling Plant needs equity partners rather than its operating as a project.

In an interview, Mr. Lwenji observed that the opening of the plant was long overdue as the community was eagerly waiting for its operationalisation so that they could start benefiting from it.

He disclosed that information reaching the Association indicated that due to delays in opening the plant, one of the senior managers who was employed in February had returned to the Copperbelt.

 He further advised authorities to appoint a separate board for the plant, adding that bureaucracy will not help the company achieve its goals.

 “What is needed are equity partners for this plant not for it to run as a project. We understand one of the biggest international brewing companies has shown interest to be partners and they are ready to start the out growers.

“There is another company which also wants to start processing starch for fuel as it has a ready market for ethanol. So, let this plant get equity partners. Rather than operating as a project, it should also have its own board.

 And Mr Lwenji said the plant will create employment for the local people unlike the current situation where the plant has only employed 20 technical and management staff.

He said once fully operational, the cassava milling plant will employ more than 200 local people and that the facility will also create indirect employment to local farmers and other cassava suppliers.

The construction of a US$ 3m Cassava Milling Plant brought anxiety among cassava farmers in Chitambo and surrounding areas because despite the construction of the plant being completed few years ago, it has remained un-operational

Meanwhile, authorities recently assured the nation that the plant would resume operations after some benchmarks were archived.