— Inadequate manpower affects water supply in Eastern province

Government says there is still a challenge of adequate and clean water supply in Eastern Province due to lack of skilled man-power.

 

Eastern Province Permanent Secretary, Dr. Chileshe Mulenga, says the province’s  Water engineers  are  less to address the issues of water supply especially in rural areas.

 

Dr. Mulenga was speaking when a delegation from the Germany International Development (GIZ) paid a courtesy call on him at his
office in Chipata today.

 

He said there was not enough water engineers in the market to employ from, adding that, the few that were employed, did not only look at
issues of water but also the road infrastructure.

 

‘’ We have not yet received the required investment in the water sector because of lack of qualified engineers in the region.

 

 

“  To us the water sector is a priority because it has a bearing on nutrition,’’ Dr. Mulenga said.

 

He however said the problem was changing though at a slow pace because the universities in the country had a number of water engineers who
were pursuing their studies.

 

The Permanent Secretary observed that the problem of water was likely to stay on for some time because it will take time for those pursuing
studies at higher learning institutions to complete their courses so that they could be engaged into employment.

 

‘’ As the mentors are phasing out, we feel government is not ready to manage the water sector because if the programme comes to an end, all
the investment done so far will be at risk,’’ he said.

 

Dr. Mulenga appealed to GIZ to continue assisting in the water sector, saying, government wanted to ensure the transition was done
systematically without leaving some issues behind.

 

And one of the GIZ consultants, Andrew Chitembo, said the team was in the province to look at what GIZ had done and how the programme will
be in future.

 

GIZ currently supports the water sector in the improvement of water supply and sanitation programmes through water utility companies in
the country.