.DODIA

By JUDITH NAMUTOWE –

A CONSORTIUM of Zambian investors has partnered with financial institutions in the country to construct a 100-room hotel in Samfya District of Luapula Province at the cost of US$20 million.
Group chairperson, Yusuf Dodia said the consortium planned to build the hotel on the beach of Samfya to expand tourism into Luapula Province.
The group is currently in discussions with tradition leaders in the area to source for land.
The construction which is expected to last 12 months from the date of commencement will create about 200 direct jobs and 1,000 indirect ones upon completion.
Mr Dodia said that the project would motivate and facilitate peasant farmers and commercial farmers in Luapula Province to engage in agricultural investment and supply to hotel fruits, vegetables and other products.
This would be done with access to Mwansabombwe village as well as to Ntumbachushi, Lumangwe and Kabwelume waterfalls.
Option for Kawambwa Tea Estate and attraction on both Lake Bangweulu, Lake Mweru would be exploited.
The project would be funded through international investment mechanism and support of local financing institutions including Development Bank of Zambia (DBZ), Africa Development Bank (AfDB) and International Finance Cooperation (IFC) based in Lusaka.
Mr Dodia, who is also Private Sector Development Association (PSDA) chairperson said the allocation of land would be completed by the end of the year so that investment could commence in 2015.
For the investment to have significant impact in Luapula Province, it would be necessary to upgrade Mansa Airport in international standards so that it could start receiving bigger flights from neighbouring countries.