Chingola:- President Edgar Lungu has empowered marketeers in Chingola constituency with a revolving fund of K100,000 to enable them to boost their businesses.Delivering the funds on behalf of President Lungu to the marketeers, Chingola Central Member of Parliament, Matthew Nkhuwa said President Lungu does not want to see people’s businesses collapsing due to lack of capital.Mr Nkhuwa said the Head of State has instructed him to ensure that every marketeer should benefit from the funds that are being provided to cushion the economic shocks of COVID-19.“The President has sent me to deliver these funds to you our marketeers here at Kasompe market so that you sustain your businesses. He has instructed me not to leave none of you behind as long you are a marketeer,” he said.The lawmaker who is also Minister of Energy, implored the market leadership to properly coordinate the disbursement of the funds to the beneficiaries and cautioned that he will not entertain any misappropriations.He noted that empowerment funds have proved to be a game-changer of people’s livelihoods if prudently utilised.“When you have such an opportunity from the President, make sure you utilize it to amend the challenges your businesses are going through. These funds have come to you out of goodwill from the Head of State,” Mr Nkhuwa said.Meanwhile, Mr Nkhuwa also urged marketers in the constituency to obtain voters cards for them to participate in the 2021 general elections.“Voting is every citizen’s right, therefore you should go in numbers and be captured as voters so that you can choose leaders of your choices during next year’s elections.
And one of the markeers, Theresa Nanyangwe, a vegetable trader at Kasompe market said the funds will help revive her business which had completely collapsed after she consumed all her K500 capital.