IF you don’t utilise the CDF grants prudently, you will not be in the good books with the government, warns Livingstone City Council Acting Town Clerk Daniel Sikapili.

Addressing several cooperative members who have been approved to receive grants from the 2026 CDF allocation at Victoria Hall recently, Sikapili said the local authority decided to educate the recipients on financial literacy before they received the grants because, previously, some recipients had not utilised the money prudently.

“Management thought about it this way, that we cannot give you money without being taught how to use it. This money or these grants are

not for you to go and buy bicycles. This money is not meant for you to go and buy bricks to build a house. We will be visiting you to see if

you have put this money to good use, failure to which I think you will not be in the good books with the government,” said Sikapili.

He added that the government was in a hurry to uplift people’s living standards.

Sikapili said the Zambia Industrial Commercial Bank (ZICB), the Livingstone Chamber of Commerce and other financial experts will impart financial literacy to the over 145 recipients.

He urged women to embark on projects that have traditionally been associated with men. Sikapili further urged the recipients to compete against each other in terms of performance.

And Livingstone Chamber of Commerce Chairperson Binwell Mwila said the chamber wants to reverse the rate of repayment defaults among CDF grant recipients.

“We are looking at addressing the rate of defaulters among CDF grant recipients. A lot of people have received these grants but have failed to repay, which is a bad thing for the government. The money is a revolving fund so that many others can benefit. We want to impart financial discipline to the recipients,” said Mwila.

Mwila said the Chamber has been working closely with the local authority to grow businesses in the tourist capital. of two days will receive grants totalling groups that were trained over a period The 145 women, youth and community K2 million, with the highest recipient getting K20,000 and the lowest receiving K12,000.