By ROGERS KALERO
NDOLA Mayor Jones Kalyati has described some buildings in the city centre as nothing but heaps of garbage because owners have not given them proper maintenance which should include painting and ensuring that their surroundings were clean.
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Mr Kalyati also said some disused buildings such as one opposite the Ndola Central Police Station were not only an eye sore but were also being used for illicit and immoral activities.
Mr Kalyati was speaking at the weekend at Chisokone market during a clean-up campaign for a Green, Clean and Healthy programme which was supported by Dangote Cement and Stanbic Bank Zambia
He said he was grateful to the two cooperating partners for their support in the Green, Clean and Healthy campaign programme, but was disappointed that shop owners were not supporting the clean-up campaign as evidenced by their failure to paint their shops.
“One of the many challenges in the clean-up campaign is to ensure that we clear up the garbage in the city. As Ndola Mayor, I must say am grateful for the support that we continue to receive from cooperating partners like Dangote Cement and Stanbic Bank Zambia limited.
“I must however state in no uncertain terms that am not happy that shop owners are not painting their shops. Some shops look like heaps of garbage because owners have not given them proper maintenance which include painting them and ensuring that their surrounding was clean,” Mr Kalyati said
Mr Kalyati also said some disused buildings like the one opposite the Ndola Central Police Station were not only an eye sore but were also being used for illicit and immoral activities.
Mr Kalyati said he was also concerned that owners of the disused buildings were allowing their buildings to be used for all sorts of immoral and criminal activities.
“As Ndola Mayor, I have observed with concern that some of the disused buildings were being used for illicit. Buildings like the one opposite the Ndola Central Police Station is not only an eye sore, but it is also a den for criminal activities,” he said.
And Stanbic Bank Zambia Head Brand and Marketing Eric Ng’ondo said the bank’s involvement in the campaign falls under its Corporate Social Investment Pillar of community upliftment which was centred on Goal number 11 of the UN Sustainable Cities and Communities.
Mr Ng’ondo said last year, Stanbic Bank launched the Keep Lusaka Clean and Green campaign initiative aimed at ensuring that trading spaces were clean, safe and open for business within Lusaka District.
“That initiative was part of the Keep Zambia Clean and Green Campaign which was launched together with the Lusaka City Council under the Ministry of Local government and Rural Development in July 2022.
“This year, as part of our involvement in the Keep Zambia Clean and Green, campaign we have partnered with other councils and Dangote Cement in cleaning up certain areas of the country on the last Saturday of the month,” Mr Ng’ondo said.
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