Higer buses SME project hijacked – drivers

Thu, 08 Dec 2016 10:48:49 +0000

By Mailesi Banda

THE Public and Private Drivers Association of Zambia (PPDAZ) has accused some of its own leaders of having hijacked the Higer partnership youth empowerment programme through which the Chinese Higer bus company has been offering buses to SMEs. PPDAZ information and publicity secretary Steven Zulu said one of the pioneers of PPDAZ has personalised the project for personal gain, and was not doing enough to ensure the distribution of the Higer buses meant for youth empowerment reached the real beneficiaries. “I have noted with displeasure the behaviour of one PPDAZ official who has made the Higer partnership a personal to holder arrangement,” Mr Zulu said. Mr Zulu said the association leadership, which comprised of four people, was not doing enough to empower its members, leading to the perception that there was no transparency and accountability in the manner the association was being run. “Transparency and accountability are vital in any given set-up especially in the transport sector because any misuse of resources will always hinder poverty alleviation efforts for which the programme is intended to achieve,’’ he said. Mr. Zulu said that while transparency and accountability were core values of good governance, the PPDAZ leadership allegedly with the help of known Government officials have continued to take advantage of the programme. He charged that he was ready to ensure that all the challenges in the association came to an end. “We want to clean this house marred by certain activities by removing the current PPDAZ leadership and advising the politicians in our Government to let go of the association for the sake of transparency and accountability.’’ Mr Zulu vowed not to relent until any injustices were corrected and called on Government to intervene. “There is need for Government to engage forensic auditors in the happenings of the youth empowerment programme,” Mr Zulu said. He said the first batch of the 14 Higer buses distributed so far broke down within two years and were parked in various garages around the country.