VICE PRESIDENT NALUMANGO URGES TIMELY REPAYMENT OF EMPOWERMENT LOANS TO SUSTAIN SME GROWTH
CHIPATA, EASTERN PROVINCE – Vice President Mutale Nalumango has called on beneficiaries of Constituency Development Fund (CDF) and Citizen Economic Empowerment Commission (CEEC) loans to exercise financial discipline and ensure timely repayment, stressing that doing so is key to sustaining the government’s empowerment programmes.
Speaking during an engagement meeting with the Eastern Province Chamber of Commerce and Industry and members of the wider business community, Mrs. Nalumango emphasized that loan repayment is not only a responsibility but a gateway for others to access similar support.
“To ensure these programmes reach more people, beneficiaries must repay what they owe. This is how we build a sustainable cycle of empowerment,” the Vice President said.
Mrs. Nalumango reaffirmed the government’s commitment to fostering a conducive environment for business growth and supporting initiatives that promote entrepreneurship and economic participation at the grassroots level.
During the meeting, Eastern Province Chamber of Commerce and Industry Acting Chairperson Alice Mkandawire acknowledged that CDF loans and grants have created valuable opportunities for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to expand.
She said entrepreneurs across all constituencies in the province are benefiting not only from CDF allocations but also from CEEC support.
However, Ms. Mkandawire noted that the increasing demand for these funds has made access more competitive, leaving many potential beneficiaries underserved.
Source and video credit: ZNBC