No-show Govt agencies chiefs rile PS

Thu, 15 Dec 2016 11:24:37 +0000

COPPERBELT deputy permanent secretary Elias Kamanga has warned that he shall not tolerate laissez faire attitude from senior heads of Government institutions in executing Government business.

Mr.Kamanga expressed disappoint over the absence of heads of water utility companies and town clerks during the provincial epidemic and preparedness committee meeting at the Levy Mwanawasa Stadium yesterday.

Mr.Kamanga questioned the seriousness attached to the meeting by the heads of utility companies and councils in the province.

“I am not seeing managing director for Kafubu; Nkana Water and Mulonga Water have no representation here and there are no town clerks with council chairpersons, I am told they are having a meeting, I hope it is true.

But our concern is the issue that we are dealing with. Outbreak of epidemics is directly linked to councils and water utility companies because they are catalysts.

‘‘Going forward, with the decentralization policy being implemented now, we cannot afford to have the head of these institutions absent because local authorities are in the driving sit.

For me their absence from this meeting shows lack of seriousness and I do not tolerate high levels of laziness,” he said.

He said the meeting was called to promote collaboration and synergies in the preparedness, prevention, management and control of disease outbreaks in the province.

He said the meeting wanted Government institutions to measure efficiency of interventions taken in response to mitigating epidemics that occurred within the Copperbelt Province.

He applauded efforts being made by the Kitwe City Council who were tackling challenges of sanitation in the district.

He implored other councils to take a leaf from Kitwe mayor Christopher Kang’ombe in the manner he had attained good sanitation in markets and communities.

“The Kitwe mayor His Worship Kang’ombe and the Kitwe district commissioner Mr.Chanda Kabwe are doing a commendable job as they are on the ground and understand how best they can work with the community to avoid outbreaks of waterborne diseases,” he said.

Mr .Kamanga expressed happiness that 50 percent of resolutions passed in a similar meeting last year have been acted upon.

He stated that the province was still grappling with cases of typhoid, dysentery, chicken pox and rabies.

He has instructed councils on the Copperbelt to urgently enforce the dog control Act.

On non-communicable diseases, the permanent secretary said councils must continue to promote healthy lifestyles and control public smoking.

He added that the province had observed a high number of maternal deaths and implored the provincial medical officer to thoroughly investigate the issue and apply appropriate measures to mitigate the problem.