Government has set aside US$ 20 million to implement the mortgage finance program for rehabilitation, construction and purchase of properties in various Zambian Missions abroad.
Foreign Affairs Permanent Secretary Dr. Ronald Simwinga says a Cabinet Memorandum was recently tabled to grant authority for Missions abroad to acquire mortgages for construction and purchase of properties aimed at reducing expenditure on rented chanceries and residences for diplomatic staff.
Dr. Simwinga said this when he addressed diplomats at the Zambian Embassy after inspecting Government properties in Washington D.C. together with officials from the Ministry of Works and Supply.
He said funds are now available to start the renovations of stalled works of the prestigious Kalorama Zambian property situated in the Embassy row as soon as contractual issues with the contractor are sorted out.
“In the 2018 budget, Government has a mortgage financing line of US$ 1.2 million for the Mission in Washington D.C and the Ministry will resubmit the Cabinet Memorandum to include new aspects of financing that have emerged overtime.
“The essence of the mortgage financing program is to ensure that as and when these rehabilitation of chanceries, new acquisition of houses are taking place there must be a pool of funds available to support these projects. The funds have now been allocated to the Foreign Affairs Ministry and what we are waiting for is a budget line from concerned Missions to support spending of funds,” Dr. Simwinga said.
The Permanent Secretary said the Ministry of Finance will soon present to Parliament a Budget Supplementary Bill to seek approval to spend the additional funding to include other Missions abroad such as Berlin and Nairobi among others facing similar challenges.
Dr Simwinga also disclosed that Government is reviewing the Foreign Service Regulations and Conditions of Service to address the challenges the civil service is facing in Missions abroad. He further reiterated Government’s commitment to rollout the Diaspora Policy to engage Zambians living abroad to contribute to national development as Government recognizes the diaspora as key stakeholder to national development.
The word set aside is misused here. You can’t set aside what you don’t have. Propose would be appropriate.
Just another way to embezzle funds. Most of this money will end up in corrupt PF large pockets. Just like the 42/42. Shame on them.
That’s more money in the pockets of these thieving morons, the money will just disappear, can you honestly leave a monkey with a banana, with out them eating it, that’s the same with PF and money
Who did valuations and estimates for these works for you to come up with a round figure of $20 million….what happened to those mortuage plans?
Here we go the supplementary expenditures have started. There goes the budget down the toilet.
Why not use Zambians in diaspora to work at embassies , less housing alliance for them ???
Also please advance the diaspora contribution to economic development back home…….I am sure most Zambians in diaspora would willingly take up mortgages to build if proper guarantees are put in place…..
Housing Allowance ..
.
They dont trust you to sell PF nonsense!!
@spaka i understand in many foreign missions there is an agreement or regulations regarding certain jobs in the embassy.It is required that certain jobs are only to be done by the citizens of the host country.Am sure if you go to many foreign embassies in Zambia you will find a lot of Zambians working there.There are agreements between the countries on which jobs are to be given to the locals and the foreigners
Your point is very valid but the current situation regarding the country to country agreements do not allow for Zambians to take up all the positions at the Zambian embassies abroad.They can only take up certain jobs and the rest are left to the citizens of the host country
WE receive many people from all parts of the world.. and
honestly are quite shocked that your embassy here in the
United States is incapable of issuing passports to it’s
nationals living abroad. Haiti if you need a comparison is
a poor nation by far, yet they issue documents to it’s citizenry.
in hopes that some enlightened Zambian reads this and honestly
questions it.. we post here in the venerable Lusaka Times….
We congratulate the government for trying to
renovate it’s overseas missions. while at it we
ask that the Zambian government assist it’s
citizens living abroad with passports to allow
them the freedom’s that all people endeavor
to achieve. As we mark the 100th anniversary
of a great African leader, we are saddened to
see many Zambian nationals with no passports
and with stories of paying for the documents
at an embassy only to be told lie after lie..