1.3 hectares of land has been given to the Government to build a modern market on the waterfront where the traditional ceremony is held, Senior Chief Tafuna of the Lungu speaking people in northern province has said.
The traditional leader told The Scoop that the market would be very beneficial to the people of Mpulungu, the country at large and the great lakes region in general as it would create jobs.
He said that the modern market would have good marketing facilities such as dryers for the fish as Mpulungu is well known for high volumes of fish species being sold across the country.
He said that with the establishment of the modern market on the waterfront would be the long-awaited solution to the many business activities.
“I have given 1.3 hectares of land to the government so that it can build a modern market on the waterfront near the traditional ceremony site. This market is very important in the sense that it would bring a lot of benefits to the people of mpulungu, the country at large and the great lakes region. And economically mpulungu stands to benefit. “The beauty about this market is that there would be a standard dryer and cold rooms for the fish traders,” Senior Chief Tafuna said.
“Hopefully once the modern market is established, it would also house other business activities that go with the trade in the area with traders coming from Burundi, Tanzania, Democratic Republic of Congo and from other countries from the great lakes region,” he added.
He said that the modern market in his chiefdom would also strengthen social economy enterprises and organizations, such as cooperatives and trade associations.
He said that it is critical that marginalized voices in rural areas are also given a voice in governance and investments and establishing a modern market place is another way of empowerment.
He said that empowering citizens across the country to access public pre‐commercial investments through trade is critical as that would help foster socio economic development.