By KENNEDY MUPESENI –
THE Citizen Economic Empowerment Commission (CEEC) has approved 366 projects in the first phase worth K10 million from 16,000 applications received this year.
CEEC head of public relations and communications Glenda Masebe said the commission has finalised evaluations of the projects in the first phase.
“We have just finalised the project evaluation from the 16,000 applications from various enterprises and we have approved 366 of them worth K10 million in the first phase,” she said.
CEEC will prioritise aquaculture, cotton, groundnuts and soya clusters for funding among others in 2014.
She said once another batch from the treasury was released more funding to other projects would be made available.
In 2013 the commission received 8,000 applications.
Ms Masebe said the commission received overwhelming response from Small and Medium Entrepreneurs (SMEs) across the country.
“This year we have received 16,000 applications across the country compared to last year’s 8,000 and this is due to the growing appetite for entrepreneurship in the country,” Ms Masebe said.
She said most Zambians prefer running their own enterprises than getting jobs hence the increase in the number of applications received this year.
Ms Masebe projected that next year the number of applications were also expected to surpass those received this year.
She added that early next year CEEC would embark on community engagements to identify projects in particular areas which would guide the commission.
These interventions are expected to lead to wealth and job creation as SMEs hold the greatest potential for job creation while narrowing the urban-rural divide.
Government has already embarked on the design of industrial clusters that are going to be established in each district which if well implemented will help the country realise economic independence for the Zambians.
Clusters will provide industrial workshops from which entrepreneurs funded by CEEC will be able to manufacture various products, thus promoting value addition, particularly in the areas of metal fabrication, timber and agro- processing, aquaculture and automotive industry.