Zambia, Kabwe: Central Province Permanent Secretary Milner Mwanakapwe says that Central Province had a target of 2,451 members who are supposed to benefit from the farmer loan facility and that so far, 253 farmers have successfully managed to redeem, representing 10.32%.
Speaking when he called for a media update on the agriculture credit facility, flood situation and cholera situation in Central Province, Mwanakampwe disclosed that in terms of farmer credit facility, Central Province is the second best performing in the country.
He says more than half of the targeted farmers are expected to redeem their share by the end of the week following redemption commencement by banks that were lagging behind.
The Permanent Secretary has also revealed the current provincial status of cholera. He says in the last 24 hours, the Province has recorded 24 new cases, with one brought in dead, bringing the cumulative number of deaths to 7. He says the Province has a cumulative number of 358 cholera cases, 32 discharges and 49 cases under admission.
Mwanakampwe also discloses that two fishing camps that are hard to access have badly been hit by cholera, namely Namucheche and Muchale fishing camps in the Nangoma constituency of Mumbwa district.
Meanwhile, the Permanent Secretary has confirmed that a number of houses have collapsed in the Province. He says Kabwe is leading with more than 53 collapsed houses, followed by Chisamba and Kapirimponshi in Material Compound. He discloses that three bridges have been washed away, two in Mkushi and one in Chisamaba district.
Mwanakampwe has since appealed to residents in flood-prone areas to move to safer places quickly.
Last year, in November, the Kabwe Central Province Permanent Secretary gave a warning to farmers that they needed to stop selling FISP.
The permanent secretary has since warned the benefiting farmers against selling the inputs received, as those found wanting will face the wrath of the law.