Civil Society for Poverty Reduction NorthWestern Province Programme Management Team (CSPR-NWPPMT) has expressed sadness on the move by government to increase fees payable under the lands act in the 2010 budget.
CSPR-NWPPMT Chairperson, John Lijimu said the increase proposed in the 2010 budget is aimed at depriving the marginalized and poor people from owning land, adding that the measure will only favour the rich and is capable of being a breeding ground for corruption.
Mr Lijimu said during a press briefing in Solwezi today that acquiring land in the country is already expensive and increasing these fees is not in the best interest of the country’s equitable sharing.
Mr Lijimu said land is supposed to be an affordable birthright for the Zambian citizen regardless of their status if they are to contribute effectively to national development.
He therefore advised government to collect enough revenue by broadening the tax base to the informal sector where a lot of money is lost in uncollected tax.
Meanwhile CSPR NorthWestern Province Programme Management Team has observed with dismay that the province has been deprived of the benefits due to it by deliberately not allocating any funds towards the T5 Chingola Solwezi road in the 2010 budget.
Mr Lijimu said the road is depleted due to huge loads of copper transported from the Lumwana and Kansanshi mines.
He noted that the province contributes 40 percent revenue to the national budget yet has only one major tarred road that passes through Solwezi to Mwinilunga adding that there has been no deliberate measure put in place by government to develop the province.
Mr Lijimu appealed to Members of Parliament in the province to push government to allocate funds towards the completion of the Mutanda-Chavuma (M8) road as it is an economically viable road that leads to the recently discovered oil deposits in Kabompo and Chavuma districts.
[ZANIS]

6 COMMENTS

Abantu October 16, 2009 At 10:55 am

Ba LT naimwe mulepwa nga MMD iyi pwile kwati sopo- lifebouy… you cant even anounce the VICTORY!!! VIVA PACT!
Muntuza October 16, 2009 At 10:56 am

The MDD just got beat convincingly by the Visilu. How sweet!!
Shepherd October 16, 2009 At 12:09 pm

GBM=10000votes
MMD’s Burden Mugala=4000votes. A good lesson to international tourist RB, FTJ & Chitimukulu. You dont take people for granted.
Tonga Bull October 16, 2009 At 12:40 pm

Can anyone tell me which MP has ever brought Development to his/her constituency in last 10 to 15 years?????
loverman October 16, 2009 At 1:38 pm

Ba LT you mean you never monitored the Kasama elections. No report whatsover. Muli Vimazili na imwe. Are you sleeping
Blue Blood October 16, 2009 At 6:34 pm

Rupiah Banda told King Mswati when they were in Solwezi that North-Western Province is one of the provinces that gave him 100% support. Stop complaining and reap what you sowed. It seems you people in North-Western don’t learn. Kaunda and UNIP told you lies for 27 years and you never woke up from your slumber. Now Rupiah Banda the disciple of Kaunda has also started to tell you lies. WAKE UP and ditch that devil called MMD.