26/10/2012 (Times of Zambia) - The Government has released K1.7 billion to eccelerate major construction and development works at Mwense’s Isubila Palm oil Plantation in Luapula Province.

Mwense District Commissioner (DC) Victor Kasuba confirmed in an interview yesterday that the project which has reached an advanced stage, was progressing very well and would soon be completed.

Mr Kasuba said the project which is located in Chebele area in Chief Lubunda’s Chiefdom, would be the first of its kind in the province and that, once it was fully operational, it would create more than 200 jobs for the locals especially during the construction stages.

The DC who commended the Government for the release of the funds for the project said the authorities will make sure that the project benefits the people of the area.

“Construction works at the K1.7 billion Isubilo Palm oil plantation has reached an advanced stage. We thank the Government for releasing the funds,” he said.

The construction of a reservoir was going on smoothly and so far, two big water pumps have been installed which will pump water from the Mwense stream to feed the vast plantation.

He said the palm oil plantation was one of the viable projects that the people in the area had been yearning for since they knew that once they had that project it would be their source of income as it would create employment for them and help to alleviate high poverty levels.

Mr Kasuba said the setting up of palm oil plantation in Mwense would do better, because the area had favourable conditions for such palm trees.

He said people who had been growing palm trees on a small-scale basis, had proven that the conditions were favourable and the Government was in the right direction to start doing it on large scale.

Palm oil was a good cash crop that had both the potential for local and export markets since it had many numerous uses.

More than 1,000 palm oil trees would be grown at the plantation and its development would help reduce huge amounts of foreign exchange the country spends on importing finished oil and other edible products.