Fri, 24 Mar 2017 14:08:25 +0000
By OSCAR MALIPENGA
GOVERNMENT has sourced a total of US$41 million from cooperating partners to finance the construction of three University-Colleges in Nalolo (Western), Katete (Eastern) and Kabompo (North-Western) districts and provinces respectively.
Minister of Higher Education Prof. Nkandu Luo told Parliament that her ministry has managed to engage consultants to undertake the Environmental Impact Assessment for the three sites which was a pre-condition to receiving the funding from the financiers.
Prof. Luo said the consultants were scheduled to be on site as soon as all paperwork was completed.
“My ministry has also covered a lot of ground on the engagement of the main consultant who will design and supervise construction works,
“A list of names that have been shortlisted has been sent to the funders for approval. After the No Objection is given, the request for proposal will be floated to the shortlisted consultants,” she said.
Prof. Luo said in Nalolo it will be called University College of Science and Mathematics, in Katete it will be called University College of Applied Arts and Commerce while in Kabompo it will be called University College of Science and Technology.
She said the Patriotic Front (PF) government was committed to constructing the three University Colleges.
“Our chiefs in the three locations have demonstrated total leadership by freely allocating huge portions of land for the construction of the university colleges.
“The land allocated will enable government to expand the university colleges once they have developed and are ready to be transformed into full-fledged universities,” she said.
Prof. Luo commended the traditional leaders in the respective areas for working closely with government in identifying the sites for the projects and for their commitment to the development for Zambia. She said it was government’s desire to see the successful projects completed and operationalisation of the three university colleges.
Prof. Luo said the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa 9BADEA would provide a loan to the government to a tune of
US$ 4.5 million while the Fund for Oil Producing and Exporting Countries (OPEC-Fund) would provide a loan amounting to US$10 million.
She named other funders as the Kuwait fund who would provide a loan amounting to US$13 million and the Abu Dhabi fund would provide a loan of US$13.5 million. Prof. Luo said the loan agreements with the financiers had already been signed and would be disbursed once all procurement processes had been completed.
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