CEEC funding suspension lifted
Mungwi, March 15, 2013, ZANIS….Government has lifted the funding suspension imposed on the
Citizens Economic Empowerment Commission –CEEC last year.
CEEC director general Likando Mukumbuta made the disclosure during a project elaboration meeting in
Mungwi in the northern province held at the council chambers.
Mr Mukumbuta explained that the government had lifted the suspension after being satisfied with the new
outlook of the Commissions’ approach to business.
Meanwhile, Mr Mukumbuta says the Citizen’s Economic Empowerment
Commission (CEEC) will not consider applications from individuals and companies
which were not funded during its operations under the previous MMD government.
Mr Mukumbuta said the applications will not be considered in the new phase of funding.
And Mr. Mukumbuta says the Commission apologises unreservedly to
people whose applications have not been funded to date.
The CEEC chief was responding to a question from a local businessman Oscar
Munthali who wanted to find out when the Commission will fund
old applications.
Mr. Mukumbuta has however urged entrepreneurs to make fresh applications
based on the new application forms which have been designed by the
Commission.
He disclosed that the Commission has undergone five reviews to
examine its previous performance and so far only three have been
concluded.
Mr. Mukumbuta said the Drug Enforcement Commission and the
Anti-Corruption Commission have not yet concluded their
investigations.
Meanwhile, The CEEC director general has observed that Mungwi district in
the northern province has great potential for a peanut butter industry
that can bring about wealth and employment creation if properly harnessed.
He revealed that the district has the highest groundnut production figures in
the country which the local people can take advantage of by opening up industries to process peanut butter on a commercial basis.
Mr. Mukumbuta disclosed that this year the production of groundnuts in
Mungwi is likely to hit 3.7 metric tones according to the projections by
central statistical office.
Mr. Mukumbuta has meanwhile challenged businessmen in the area to venture in various
initiatives such as seed multiplication, peanut butter production and
marketing of groundnut products.
The citizen empowerment commission is doing fine to encourage citizens to apply for funding of their projects. But the problem where to find application forms. If the forms were available for downloading at the internet could be very good.