Zambezi Portland Cement Plans to Build Houses in Masaiti for Displaced Families

LUSAKA, Zambia - June 26, 2014 - PRLog -- Zambezi Portland Cement, one of the members of Mahtani Group of Companies, has started to construct 127 two-bedroom houses and 6 boreholes in Senior Chief Chiwala’s region in Masati for the displaced subjects from the land obtained for industrialisation. The project is scheduled for 6 months to complete and may cost about US $1 million.

On Friday, the chairman of Zambezi Portland Cement, Dr RajanMahtani, at the time of the ground-breaking ceremony said, “Although the number of households that got affected was identified as 69 and was approved by Zambia Environmental Management Agency (ZEMA) in 2012, the company went a step further from its obligation to resurvey the possibly affected households in March this year before commencing the construction of the houses.”

Rajan Mahtani said that the construction of all the 127 homes is free for the displaced families as Stage 1 of the company CSR. He even praised the Government highly for offering a suitable environment for the investments in the nation.

Emmanuel Chenda, the Local Government and Housing Minister thanked the company for offering decent housing, safe and clean drinking water and sufficient sanitation to the people. He said, “I would like to thank Zambezi Portland for contributing to the Patriotic Front Government’s strategic agenda of creating employment and putting more money in people’s pockets through valuable investments such as the construction of housing units and cement production plant that will result in employment of local people.”

According to Mr Chenda the ministry is ready to help in the development process through the local authorities who have been told to reserve land for the housing development all over the country. He has praised Senior Chief Chiwala for being involved in mobilizing and directing the communities for form partnerships with ZEMA and Masaiti District Council. He said, “This is the kind of partnership the government would want to see as we roll out the implementation of the decentralisation policy that empowers local communities to be actively involved in planning, implementing and monitoring projects that affect them.”

As per Senior Chief Chiwala, all companies that operate in chiefdom have been instructed to built houses for displaced subjects. He said, ““Handyman’s Paradise, Dangote and Zambezi Portland have compensated. I would like to appeal to Dr Mahtani to feel free to conduct business in my chiefdom and consider my people as developmental partners.” Chiwala said that he wants to help in developing Copperbelt rural by making sure that the companies that operate in chiefdoms spend in the community.

In the meantime, Fackson Shamenda, the Labour Minister said he would become a good friend of the companies, which take care of the workers. Mr Shamenda said, “I hope Zambezi Portland will improve the conditions of service that can be used as a yardstick in the cement industry.” It is said by people that the ministry is working out the modalities to make sure that the facilities for people in the rural communities aren’t sub-standard.

http://www.rlmahtani.com/zambezi-portland-cement/