1,600 ex-miners to get land

Thu, 15 Jun 2017 10:07:05 +0000

By ROGERS KALERO

ABOUT 1,600 ex-miners will be given land for agricultural purposes in Luswishi area of Lufwanyama district of the Copperbelt Province under phase one of the ex-miners land empowerment programme.

National Ex-miners and Allied Workers Association of Zambia (NEAWAZ) President Taulo Chewe said the surveying of land where ex-miners would settle in Lufwanyama had started and 1, 691 ex-miners were expected to be given land in the area.

Mr Chewe said the ex-miners to be empowered with land would get five hectares each which they were expected to put to good use by cultivating various crops and keeping livestock.

“Yes, I can confirm that surveying has started for the allocation of land to ex-miners in Lufwanyama district for various agricultural purposes. Under phase one, 1691 ex-miners will be given land in Luswishi area of Lufwanyama district.

“Each of the ex-miners to be given land in Lufwanyama, they will get five hectares of land which we expect them to put to good use and contribute to food security in the country,” Mr Chewe said.

Mr Chewe said the beginning of the surveying of land where ex-miners would settle and engage in agriculture was a positive development and a clear testimony that President Edgar Lungu’s promises always come to fruition.

He urged ex-miners who would be given land in the area to work towards contributing to food security and developing the area, adding that Lufwanyama had fertile soils and good rains.

“When you are employed, at one time or the other, you will be retrenched or retired. Therefore, people should be ready to go into agriculture. For me, I would like to thank President Lungu for this good gesture of giving ex-miners land after being retrenched.

“In the past, people were retrenched, but no President gave them a piece of land, but President Lungu has made a good decision by giving the ex-miners a piece of land which can be used for various purposes,” he said.