Tue, 28 Aug 2012 10:12:56 +0000
It is difficult for the Patriotic Front (PF) government to beat the MMD developmental track record initiated under former President Rupiah Banda, says Alliance for Democracy and Development (ADD) president Charles Milupi.
And Mr. Milupi has said that any reasonable government must consider addressing the high cost of agricultural inputs and increasing the Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP) subsidy as demanded by the Paramount Chief Gawa Undi Kalonga of the Chewa speaking people.
In an interview, Mr. Milupi said that the level at which the MMD constructed schools and roads could not be matched by PF. Even the projects Finance Minister Alexander Chikwanda was talking about are not PF projects only initiated by the MMD.
He said the construction and rehabilitation schools, roads and other infrastructure were initiated and done under the Late president Levy Mwanawasa and continued by former president Rupiah Banda.
Mr. Milupi observed that the PF government must show a work plan towards national development programme for the people to benefit.
“I was in parliament by then and I know how much they were doing. So let the PF government show its work plan rather than just talking for the sake of talking. What we need now is not only to make sure that these schools are being built but to ensure that there is quality education and teachers are distributed evenly in these newly built schools because they will soon be white elephants without teachers,” said
And Mr. Milupi said any meaningful government should consider increasing the Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP) in order to boost agricultural production and address high poverty levels in the country.
“I think his Majesty Kalonga Gawa Undi has hit the nail on the head. Agriculture is so pivotal to supporting people who grow food to eat and sell as well as providing employment to villagers,” he said.
He said that the current price for fertilizer was exorbitant and therefore hinders any meaningful participation by small scale farmers.
