. Mubukwanu
By JAMES KUNDA –
PRESIDENT Edgar Lungu has said funding for Government developmental projects will be decentralised to the districts, to quicken implementation and improve service delivery.
He said this at State House in Lusaka yesterday when he received a quarterly report on developmental programmes from Western Province Minister Nathaniel Mubukwanu.
Mr Mubukwanu, who was accompanied by Western Province Permanent Secretary Mwangala Liomba, told journalists after the meeting that the Head of State wants project implementation to be quickened.
“The President has directed that in the future, funding for all developmental projects will be decentralised to the districts so that money is allocated more quickly and work done as scheduled,” Mr Mubukwanu said.
President Lungu, also received a report from North-Western Province Minister Richard Kapita who was directed to enhance value-addition to the agricultural produce from the region.
He noted that the region produced much pineapple, honey and beans and processing industries should be established to add value the raw produce.
Mr Kapita, who was accompanied by his provincial Permanent Secretary Ephraim Mateyo, said President Lungu directed that there should be no excuse for failure to attract investment to support value addition in the region which was now connected to the national electricity grid.
He said he also briefed Mr Lungu, who was in the company of Vice-President Inonge Wina, on the progress rehabilitation work on the Chingola-Solwezi Road.
Southern Province Minister Edify Hamukale, in the company of provincial Permanent Secretary Sibanze Simuchoba, also presented a regional report to the President.
Mr Hamukale told journalists that he told Mr Lungu that the Government was courting Chinese investors to invest in the province’s tourism potential to benefit the people.
He expressed optimism that the country would continue recording improved electricity supply following the increase in rainfall which has led to improved water levels at the power generation sites in the province.
