By JOHN SAKALA
The clerics of Chingola have thanked President Edgar Lungu for the Presidential Empowerment Fund given to them amounting to K60, 000 cash.
The clerics had asked their Member of Parliament Matthew Nkhuwa to lobby some money for them from the President to be involved in farming.
The good news is that few days after Mr Nkhuwa had deliver K60, 000 on behalf of President Lungu, the clerics led by Reverend Edwin Simasiku of World Harvest Ministries have bought the farmer inputs.
Rev Simasiku said the 22 members from the Chingola Pastors’ Association who had wanted to go into farming had each received a complete pack comprising 2x50kg bags of D Compound, 2x50kg bags of Urea and 1×10 kg bag of seeds.
He said other members of the Pastors’ Association had asked for other forms of empowerment like chicken rearing and rebooting of their businesses, this is being awaited.
He said the clergy depends on offerings from members in order to survive and when the world was hit by coronavirus, the livelihood of the clergy was adversely affected.
“As a result our children dropped out of school and we couldn’t feed our families. We then turned to the Head of State through his representative Matthew Nkhuwa who responded positively by ensuring that we receive a piece of cake from the Presidential Empowerment Fund.
“We the clergy are like dairy farmers who depend on flock for milk. As Shepherds of Gods flock we depend on milk which in this case is the offering for survival and when that flock is not there due to Covid-19, it means the Shepherd will not have the milk,” he said.
Rev Simasiku was categorical that the clerics are normal human beings that get hurt and affected by the happenings in society.
He said the Presidential Farmer Input Support were delivered to 22 members of the group.
He promised that the leaders of the group will offer support to members to ensure that they correctly use the inputs to their benefit.
Rev Simasiku has already planted.
And Mr Nkhuwa said President Lungu will be happy to hear that the people he is giving seed money are sowing in order to reap more.
He retaliated that seed money is not meant to be squandered but rather be sown in order to multiply.
