Acting President Rupiah Banda says he would work towards ensuring that moneys allocated for various developmental projects in a particular year’s budget was not returned to treasury but used on the projects they were allocated to.
Mr. Banda said if he was elected in the October 30th presidential election, he would ensure that all funds budgeted in each year were spent on the developmental projects to which they were allocated.
He said it was wrong for resources allocated to developmental projects to be returned to the national treasury at the end of each year when people in the country were in need of improved welfare.
He said he was surprised to hear that about K900 million was returned to the treasury last year because the money could not be spent on development projects.
Mr. Banda said he would talk to the Secretary to the Treasury Evans Chibiliti to ensure that once funds were budgeted for and released, they were utilised on activities for which they were budgeted.
The Acting President was speaking in Mwinilunga today when he met nine chiefs in the district.
His remarks came as a result of complaints raised by the chiefs in Mwinilunga that their district has lagged behind in various sectors of the economy.
Mr. Banda further pledged to ensure that electricity problems being experienced in the district were addressed.
He disclosed that before visiting the Northwestern province, he held a meeting with two Members of Parliament from the district, Elijah Muchima, James Katoka and ZESCO Managing Director, Rodney Sisala to discuss the issue.
During the meeting, Mr. Sisala suggested two options to Mr. Banda on how the problem of electricity in Mwinilunga district could be eased.
The first option was to continue with the thermal generated power through providing diesel for the generator.
Mr. Banda however said the use of diesel to generate power for the district has become very expensive because of the high fuel prices.
The second option was that of building a hydro power station on the western side of the Zambezi river in the district.
He said Mr. Sisala revealed to him that ZESCO has since given authority to local investors to build a power station in the district.
The local investors would need US$10 million to put up a hydro power station in the district.
Mr. Banda said another option was to build a 200 kilometre power line from Lumwana mine to Mwinilunga.
And Mr. Banda, who admitted that the province has lagged behind in development, said he would ensure that national development was done fairly so as to make all provinces benefit.
He was happy that traditional leaders raised concern which would assist him to know where to start from in addressing the problem the district was facing if elected as republican president on October 30, this year.
He added that he would consult with relevant authorities on how much was allocated to the district for the construction of schools and other public institutions.
He further said he would consult with Secretary to the Cabinet Joshua Kanganja to ensure that people in the district were not left out in appointments for local jobs and foreign service.
Mr. Banda however advised chiefs in the area to encourage their subjects to send children to school for them to compete with others province for jobs.
He said it was important to educate children in order for them to get jobs whenever opportunities arise.
And speaking on behalf of other chiefs, chief Ntambo was grateful to government for purchasing vehicles to traditional leaders.
Chief Ntambo said the provision of vehicles to chiefs has enhanced dignity amongst traditional leaders.
Earlier, the chiefs complained of lack of power to the area which could be generated within the district.
They said the erratic thermal power supply has affected commerce and trade in the area.
They expressed concern that up to date the hydro power station has not be constructed in the area.
They were promised that during the 2006 campaigns that the district would be connected to the national electricity grid, which however has not been done up to now.
The chiefs also complained about the dilapidation of school infrastructure in the area and urged government to also construct high schools in the district instead of building basic schools only.
Chief Ntambo pointed out that education was a ladder to the development of the district hence the need to improve school infrastructure.
And the chiefs have called on government to construct a VIP ward for them at the district hospital so that they did not use same wards with their subjects.
They said it was wrong for chiefs to share the same ward with subjects.
They also urged government to take over the construction of palaces so that chiefs that take over from a deceased one should not construct their own.
ZANIS/MK/KSH/ENDS
RB should be aware of incompetent people in his new government. They did not help the late president. Their indecision contributed to many projects not taking off.
Again sugar was distributed to the chiefs RB met in Minilunga. ECZ do something about these UNIP tactics tanaka notuchawa twabupuba.
chi Rupiah fuseke wila landa landa fye. money going back to the treasury how about our money you budgeted for. you are busy giving sugar to people who can even eat chibwabwa from gardens. how about us who cant do nothing now even begging is expensive. government leaders bonse muli @@@@. ba k@@@@. ALL THE ZAMBIAN PEOPLE YOU ARE UNFARE ZOONA. YOU UNTILL WE DIE. WAIT UNTIL ONE ZAMBIAN OFFICIAL COME BACK DEAD. JUST THINKING LOUD. THEN MAYBE THE MESSAGE WILL BE SENT TO YOU
Rb is simply speaking out his vision. And this will make him win.
Rb is wise. This country needs mature,cool and sombre personalities. RB is ruling the counrty right now. If you want to challenge me, tell me who is in charge of Zambia today?
Ndipo campaign yavuta. May the best man win, we need some one who will change things for the better in zed mwe.
please RB dont be cheated by Mulongoti. this man is a puppet,job seeker you wont Win these election.
Bo RB the wont be any funds to be returned to the treasure because thats the funds your giving out. so that you`re voted.dont mislead people of zambia you corrupt sugar DAD.
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That is how they steal money by saying that it was taken back to the treasury.
IA, funds should not go back because there is a tendency of under delivering especially in these govt agencies and the money ends up going back, people need to be proactive.
This is all circus.
you will see ba Rupiah (or who it is), Zambians have woken up, u will never take a ngwee to your village from the treasury
How much money has been allocated to RB’s campaign or is he just going to spend any amount of Zambian peoples tax payers money when the country is in need of medicine, school fees and allowances for students, better conditions of service for essential workers and above all when the world is going though a credit crunch??
Ba RB its basic economics,funds not used in a financial year return to the treasury.Otherwise its back to the Chiluba days of not accounting for govt funds.The question Ba RB must ask is why the funds where not used if indeed the Govt released the funds.Ubukopo .
hmm…what cud i do with about K900 million in my pocket. Here’s an idea.Why don’t we all list what we cud do with such an amount (personal or otherwise) and see if we are better than our govt in planning for such monies
i hear that Mwamba Luchembe is claiming his pension for having had ruled zambia for 3 hours.is it true?
Have you read the bible? what did judas say when he saw the woman using perfume to clean Jesus’ feet? he said it is better to sell it and give that money to the poor, but that was not his intensions, he wanted to sell it and keep the money for himself. RB we know you, we know what you’re planning woooooooooooooooooooooooo.
No 18 i agree with you 100%.Abash ubukopo and his so called issue based campaign.At the rate RB is going HH and Sata to more electable.
someone should enlighten me pliz is james katoka still an MP or former MP?
No 18 and 19 aretotally right! at the rate awisi nenani is going, Sata and HH are more attractive candidates. however, it begs the question that can the two opposition leaders put their differences aside for the good of this country. HH is a good manager while Sata is an experienced politician and the two of them working together would really be good for the nation going forward. this thing of i am bemba and you are tonga and therfore we can work together should have been a thing of the past!!! Please SATA & HH, work together if you are to remove MMD from ubuteko!
Agree with No 21. Only if those two parties will work together and get over their differences will they win against MMD. Otherwise no chance. Why don’t they see that??