By CHILA NAMAIKO –
THE Patriotic Front (PF) in Southern Province has hailed the people of Zambia for the respect accorded to the institution of the Presidency.
President Edgar Lungu was given a five-year mandate, and has so far ‘walked the talk’ in delivering on his promises by achieving massive infrastructure development.
PF vice-Information and Publicity Secretary Trymore Mwenda cited the upgrading of the road network, schools, hospitals, irrigation dams and dip tanks, among other key projects, which the President had scored, hence Zambians should continue to support him.
“We know a lot more will be achieved this New Year if all of us join hands and work for the common good,” Mr Mwenda said in a statement yesterday.
He said the President had laid the groundwork in many areas, citing his decision to create the Ministry of Water Development, Sanitation and Environmental Protection, which was crucial as it would ensure the country sustainably harnessed and harvested the water resource effectively.
“For a very long time, Zambia’s water resources have not been well-managed and, therefore, with the creation of the ministry, most of the water which goes to waste will, among other purposes, be used to boost hydro power generation to cushion the electricity deficit that has greatly hit the nation,” he said
The country, he said, had great potential to grow the fisheries industry and develop irrigation farming which would go side-by-side with rain-fed cultivation if the water bodies in the country were well-managed.
Mr Mwenda said the need for environmental protection could not be overemphasised, especially in the advent of global warming and climate change, hence the need to prepare to be able to grow food and cash crops all year round.
He said the PF in the province was impressed with President Lungu for the creation of the Ministry of Water Development, Sanitation and Environmental Protection and the subsequent appointment of Lloyd Kaziya as its first minister, and urged him to ensure that water harvesting was improved in the country.
“We have no doubt in Mr Kaziya’s credentials and ability to develop the sector,” he said.
In farming input distribution, Mr Mwenda said President Lungu’s directive for the speedy delivery of farming inputs under the Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP) was a praiseworthy move as there was notable response in Southern Province, and that the local farmers were receiving the inputs.
Mr Mwenda urged farmers not to be swayed by some people wanting to sabotage Government projects in the province but should take advantage of Government’s goodwill and cultivate their fields under the FISP.
Shunning the FISP, he said, would only disadvantage the small-scale farmers who were vulnerable while those that were urging them not to get the inputs were well-to-do.
Meanwhile, the party leadership in the province is grateful for the President’s relentless efforts to ensure that army worms that have been ravaging this year’s crops are fought.
Mr Mwenda said the directive by Mr Lungu to relevant institutions to step up the fight against the outbreak of army worms showed that there was political will to win the battle.
He said the PF in the province was appreciative of Mr Lungu for being instrumental to the success of the agriculture sector in Zambia and needed the support from all well-meaning citizens.