20 February 2008
Ndola — VICE-President, Rupiah Banda, has saluted Zambia Sugar and the Islamic Trust for partnering with the Government in intervening into the flood situation afflicting the country this season.
Mr Banda said Zambia Sugar had shown its commitment to helping people in times of need other than just making profits, by donating to the victims of the flooding in the Southern Province.
Mr Banda said this when he received K60 million, 200 X 25kg bags of mealie meal worth K11million donated by Zambia Sugar Plc and 800 X 12.5kg bags of mealie meal from the Islamic Trust for flood victims.
He said the above normal rainfall received in some parts of Zambia this season had left a trail of devastating effects on infrastructure such as bridges, roads and submersion and erosion of crop fields, hence the need for various organisations to help the Government in looking after the victims.
"Roads and bridges have been damaged while food security has been threatened as most of the crop fields in the affected areas have been submerged or washed away.
"The Government is therefore very grateful that many institutions such as banks, parastatal bodies, various business, cooperating partners and generous individuals are helping in addressing and mitigating the effects of floods. Zambia Sugar is happily one of them," Mr Banda said.
He said the K60 million donated by Zambia Sugar Plc would be used to procure relief supplies for distribution to needy districts in the country, while foodstuffs would be distributed to the affected households almost immediately.
Mr Banda said Zambia Sugar Plc was a household name whose actions had significant impact on the Zambian society, hence the timeliness of its donations.
He assured Zambia Sugar Plc of the Government's continued support to the company's expansion programme which would add to economic growth and gross domestic product (GDP)
"As we take it that increased economic activity by the private sector is a reflection of good Government economic policies, we are therefore proud to be associated with activities such as the Zambia Sugar company expansion programme," he said.
Speaking earlier, Zambia Sugar Plc managing director, Paul de Lorillard, said his company had made tremendous progress in its K840 billion expansion project, launched by President Mwanawasa in September 2007.
He said the project would involve 50 per cent increase in cane crushing capacity of the factory and the construction of 32 klometres of canals to deliver irrigation water to new areas of sugar cane development.
The project would raise annual production from 200 000 tonnes to 440 000 tonnes, with the anticipated growth coming from a combination of Zambia Sugar Plc's own estate operations, commercial out growers and small growers schemes, totalling 10 500 hectares.
Mr Robillard said the mill capacity had increased from 400 tonnes per hour to 485 tonnes per hour in 2008 and going up to 640tonnes per hour in 2009.
"New markets both in European Union (EU) and regional markets were being sought to coincide with new production levels," he said.
Zambia Sugar Plc had spent more than K730 billion and prepared 2, 434 hectares for cane planting where 1, 100 local people and 219 expatriates had been engaged.
Meanwhile, UPND Mazabuka Member of Parliament, Gary Nkombo, has criticised Zambia Sugar Plc for engaging 219 expatriates saying Zambians could do the job.
Mr Nkombo said it was not fair for the company to engage more than 200 expatriates for the expansion project, which Zambians could do.
He said while it was appreciable that the expansion project would contribute to economic development, it should bring advantages to the local people through jobs instead of sidelining them.
Mr Nkombo urged Mazabuka residents to utilise the irrigation system to the fullest for production purposes.
He advised Zambia Sugar to broaden scope of the project to incorporate more Zambians and called on government to ensure people were economically emancipated.
He commended Zambia Sugar for donating to the flood victims and prodded th Government to plan adequately in future on how to handle floods.
Mr Nkombo also advised people living in low-lying areas to move to higher lands to avoid being displaced all the time.
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