Govt committed to infrastructure development

Govt committed to infrastructure development
Solwezi, Jan 19, 2015, ZANIS–Government has reiterated its commitment
 to prioritize taking infrastructure development close to the people
countrywide.

Northwestern province Permanent Secretary Amos Malupenga says
government will pay much attention to developmental programs planned
by traditional leaders in their respectful chiefdoms in order to have
an equal share of the national cake.

Mr. Malupenga, who was on a familiarization tour to chiefdoms in the province, said
this when he paid a courtesy call on chief Ntambu of the Lunda
speaking people in Mwinilung’a over the week-end.

Chief Ntambu raised a number of challenges that need government’s
urgent attention in the chiefdom such as the need for a health centre to
supplement the only hospital in the area to reduce on the long
distances people travel to access health facilities.

He said out of the nine health centers Mwinilunga has been allocated
by government his chiefdom has not been given anything and wondered
what criteria was used to allocate the centers in the district.

The Chief also appealed to government to rehabilitate the road that
goes to Mwinilunga town through Senior Chief Sailunga’s chiefdom which
he said was in a deplorable state.

He further appealed to government to consider constructing more
classrooms and teachers houses at the secondary school in order to
accommodate more pupils.

He said currently there are low enrolment levels especially at primary
schools because most of the learning facilities such as classrooms have
been taken by the secondary school that has been introduced without
structures of its own.

In response, Mr Malupenga assured the traditional leader that his
office will communicate all the concerns raised by the chief to
the relevant higher offices in Lusaka and that a feedback would be communicated
to the chief.

Later, Chief Ntambu led the permanent secretary to a honey factory
under construction to inspect the progress on the works.

The construction of the factory is a local initiative facilitated by
the Ntambu royal establishment in partnership with the government
under chiefs program and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP).

The chief said the UNDP initially released US 35,000 dollars and
government through the Chiefs and Traditional Affairs ministry released added K50,000.

Mr Malupenga who was impressed with the project said the ministry of
Chiefs and Traditional Affairs will be encouraged to assist more in
order for the factory to be completed and start functioning.