By SYLVESTER MWALE –
PRESIDENT Edgar Lungu has split some Government ministries and created five more in his bid to promote dynamic and rapid social-economic growth of the country.
The new ministries include that of Development and National Planning; the Ministry of Higher Education, Works and Supply, Livestock and Fisheries as well as Energy and Water Development.
The department of National Planning has been moved from the Ministry of Finance to form the Ministry of Development and National Planning, while the Ministry of Education, Science, Vocational Training and Early Education has been split into two.
Mr Lungu said there would now be the Ministry of General Education and the Ministry of Higher Education.
Similarly, ‘Mother and Child Health’ function has been taken to the Ministry of Health from the Ministry of Community Development.
Mr Lungu announced the changes when he opened the Fifth Session of the Eleventh National Assembly in Lusaka yesterday.
“The starting point in promoting dynamic and strategically focused diversification and rapid growth is the realignment of our institutions to promote synergies in the planning, implementation, monitoring, evaluation and coordination of national programmes,” Mr Lungu said.
The Ministry of Gender and Child Development would now be called Ministry of Gender as the function of child development moves to the Ministry of Youth and Sports which now becomes the Ministry of Youth, Sport and Child Development.
The Ministry of Mines, Energy and Water Development has been split into two: the Ministry of Mines and Mineral Development and the Ministry of Energy and Water Development.
The same has been done with the Ministry of Transport, Works, Supply and Communication which has been split into the Ministry of Works and Supply and the Ministry of Transport and Communications.
Mr Lungu said the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock has been divided into Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock, while the cooperatives function has been taken to the Ministry of Commerce, Trade and Industry at a directorate level.
Mr Lungu also directed Cabinet Office and State House to create an autonomous body to professionally deal with Public Private Partnership matters.
He called for a close collaboration with the private sector in order to compliment Government efforts in the financing and delivery of public infrastructure.
Mr Lungu noted that it was not right that well-meaning policies of public-private partnerships like the PPP Act Number 14 of 2009 could be on the Country’s statute books for years without any tangible project being implemented.
“It is for this reason that I do not expect Government-red-tape to hinder this pronouncement. I expect all civil servants in relevant sector ministries to work towards the harmonisation of the legal and institutional framework,” he said.
He also announced that a national airline would start operation next year and it is expected to create more job opportunities for young people and promote business and tourism.