Government acquires 750 hectares of land for investment in Chipata, which will create over 5,000 jobs.

The provincial administration has acquired 750 hectares of land for investment in Chipata, which will create over 5,000 jobs.
Eastern Province Permanent Secretary, Chanda Kasolo revealed this at a Standard Chartered Bank Coctail held in Chipata last evening.
Mr. Kasolo explained that 50 hectors of this land has been given to ZNS, the Zambia National Service to set up a huge milling plant employing over 500 people and that they have already started clearing the land.
He also stated that government will also set up an industrial cluster, which promises to create over 5,000 jobs to local people.
Mr. Kasolo further explained that Zam Capital, a parastatal under the Vice president’s office, will set up a muti facilitaty factory, mainaly based on producing food for animals.
He says that Zam Capital intends to put up 650 houses, a secondary school, police station and a clinic among other facilities.
And Mr. Kasolo says that there is need to use the Chipata-Mchinji Railway line more effectively and more commercially.
He revealed that Zambia Railways has advertised a tender for putting up of a dry port, which he says will create more business activity.
The permanent secretary stated that all these investiments were reasons enough for Standard Chartered to etsbliash physical presence in Eastern Province.
And speaking earlier, Standard Chartered Bank, Head of Retail Clients for Southern Africa, Sonny Zulu said that his team was in Chipata to study the market.
Mr. Zulu said that the bank would then come up with reports, which will eventually be the basis under which the bank will make a decision to invest in Chipata.
He however, expressed happiness with the developments taking place in Chipata stating that it was an ideal place for investiment.
Mr. Zulu indicated that the bank already had customers in Chhipata using digital plaforms to do banking with Stan Chart.
Meanwhile Youth and Sports Minister, Vincent Mwale has called for creative minds and less dependenace on formal jobs.
Speaking during a Standard Charetered Bank Coctail last evening, Mr. Mwale observed that there is too much dependence on formal jobs by young Zambians when they graduate from univertisties and colleges.
He indicated that Zambians need to develop minds of entrepresureship when they acquire skills, if the country is to develop.
And Mr. Mwale says that he was excited with plans by Standard Chartered Bank to invest in Chipata as it would create competition in the banking sector.
He commended the bank for taking up a social reposibility to provide financial education to pupils at Hillside Girls Secondary School.
Mr. Mwale indicated that pupils needed such knowledge to develop a right mindset, which can be able to identify business opportunities.
And speaking during the same occasion, Eastern Province Chamber of Commerce and Industry EPCCI President, Thomas Mtonga encouraged Standard Chartered Bank to invest in Chipata.
Mr. Mtonga stated that Chipata had 9 banks, making it the second town from Lusaka in the country to have the highest number of banks operating.