Chambishi farmers demand compensation funds

—-Farmers of Lukoshi farm block on Chambishi on the Copperbelt have accused the Kalulushi Municipal Council of trying to divert K115, 000 released by NFC Africa Mining Company as compensation for damaged crops due to pollution.

ZANIS in Kalulushi reports that the farmers who protested at the Kalulushi Municipal Council yesterday want the Council to release the funds immediately.

The funds were released to the Council two weeks ago by the mining company  but the local authority had not yet paid the affected farmers.

One of the farmers Derek Banda said the Council should immediately pay what was due to them.

But Acting Town Clerk Josephine Simwinga said the Council was working on an identification process before it could release the funds.

She said the Council wanted to ensure that rightful people benefited from the funds.

Mrs. Simwinga disclosed that all the farmers should go with identity cards before the funds were released.

NFCA released the funds with a list of names eligible to the funds, but the Council was demanding for identification before the funds were released.

In June this year, crops for over 60 farmers were destroyed due to the pollution by the mine.