Delayed inputs in Kasama act of sabotage-Chitimukulu

Mon, 19 Dec 2016 14:11:10 +0000

By Buumba Chimbulu

IT is an act of sabotage for Northern Province not to have received the farming inputs under the Farming Inputs Support Programme (FISP) when the region has ideal rainfall conditions, Paramount Chief Chitimukulu has charged.

Paramount Chief Chitimukulu said Northern Province had not yet started receiving fertilizer and seed for the current farming season, yet the rains had been on for more than a month.

The traditional leader said this on Sunday at the post budget forum in Kasama.

“We are compelled to believe that it is an act of sabotage that Northern Province has not received fertilizer and seed under FISP, yet the region has ideal rainfall conditions. Kasama has not received the inputs and yet Northern Province has always received adequate rains,” Paramount Chief Chitimukulu said.

Paramount Chief Chitimukulu said the Mpika-Kasama road needed attention as contractors working on the road had abandoned their work and disappeared.

The chief also advised the people of Kasama to develop a mindset of working hard in developing the province and not to always wait for the Government for support.

And Finance Minister Felix Mutati has said Government would implement and monitor projects as indicated in the 2017 national budget by working harder.

Mr Mutati told the business community in Kasama during a post budget discussion that project implementation remained a challenge to Government due to various reasons.

“We are still having challenges in implementing and monitoring and that is where we need to work harder,” he said.

He explained that Government would directly deal with the economic issues which posed a challenge in 2016 such as the incompletion of infrastructure projects.

He explained that this could only be done by making the right choices which would ensure all stalled projects were completed.

“The year 2016 has been a difficult year. We spent more than we could generate. We ended up having incomplete projects and part of this is because of the subsidies. We failed to complete many projects because the money was channeled to subsidies,” Mr Mutati said.

He said Government would limit it’s borrowing in 2017 and ensure that it did not exceed more than 2 percent of the GDP, adding that too much borrowing was embarrassing.

Mr Mutati stated that Government under its food programme would ensure that 1.2 million pupils in rural areas had a meal a day to improve school attendance.

Mr Mutati explained that the programme was a way of reducing poverty in rural areas.

Speaking at the same meeting, Northern Province minister Brian Mundubile said Government would release funds for the completion of projects in the province.

Mr Mundubile said the Kasama Airport was being upgraded to accommodate large aircrafts.

Meanwhile, Minister of Infrastructure and Housing Development, Ronald Chitotela said K1.2 billion had been paid to the contractors at the Kasama Airport.

And Minister of Transport and Communication, Brian Mushimbe said Government would revamp the Zambia Railways and ensure it operated efficiently.

Mr Mushimbe said Government would source for more funds aimed at revamping operations at Zambia Railways.