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Wednesday, 14th February, 2018
Kitwe, Coperbelt Province
Republican President Mr Edgar Chagwa Lungu has dedicated this year (2018) to a stronger domestic agenda that is anchored on the realization that since the Patriotic Front government come into power in 2011 it has rolled out the most ambitious and biggest ever infrastructure development program this country has ever seen that should be inspected.
Speaking on Saturday during a Press Briefing, the Special Assistance to the President for Press and Public Relations Mr Amos Chanda said despite the executive briefings the President has decide to supervise these projects to understand the challenges that this sector has been facing and understand peoples connection to the projects at a personal level.
“Yes the Head of State gets to have executive briefings but He wants to understand and get the people’s connection with these projects. He wants to see it for himself as he addresses the challenges of Infrastructure development in the country” he said.
He said the Head of State also wants to understand the relation that seems to exist between the problems in the sector with some of the reports he gets in the auditor general’s report noting that he has noted some misgivings coming through as result of projects that started and those that have stalled but mobilization fees are being paid.
Furthermore, Mr Chanda retaliated on the many reasons why some projects stalled which where as a result of the commodity price slum that was recorded between 2011-2014 as there was less money for the projects to move at the pace that was envisaged.
Secondly he said between this period the country recorded a poor work culture among some people who where tasked with the responsibility to supervise these project which was accompanied with a lazifare attitude some cases.
“We had instances of laziness, Mal Practice in some cases and a very poor work culture among some of the people who were tasked with the responsibility to undertake and supervise the projects”he said.
Furthermore, with this revelation Mr Chanda announced that the President has placed an embargo on the procurement for all new projects inorder to allow old projects be completed so as not to burden the treasury with new projects.
“The President has decided not to have the procurement for new projects until the existing projects are completed or totally finalised before new ones as he does not want to burden treasury”he said
And Mr Chanda has castigated those insinuating that the President has kicked off the campaigns with the inspection tours that have recieved massive accolades from the Zambian populace.
“what is happening is indeed not campaigns but inspection of projects and in these inspections of Hospitals, Schools, Markets, Roads they are people who are occupying these so while he inspects he is also greeting the people so those who wish to join can do so!” he said
He said the Head of state is not campaigning but inspecting projects which is constitutionally permitted as it empowers him as the chief executive authority of the State to inspect project in any given area of this country.
“The constitution stipulates that Him as the executive officer can direct his subordinates or can exercise his authority vested in him as President to inspect projects across the country” he said
“For purposes of spearheading and breathing life back into the infrastructure development of this country the Head of State has decided to exercise some of these functions directly and the constitution empowers him as the chief executive of the state and the length and breadth of this country is available for him” he said.
