Government has implored the Africa Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) Committee to visit the lower Zambezi National Park and carry out a thorough study on what is obtaining there and make recommendations to government.
Speaking when the he met the APRM Committee yesterday, Minister of Justice Given Lubinda said this is very important, as the issue of the Lower Zambezi has brought two economic sectors of the country into conflict and there is need for it to be scrutinized.
He said mining and tourism are of great importance in the country and therefore the APRM should make their submissions towards the conflict surrounding operations in the Lower Zambezi National Park.
Mr Lubinda assured the delegation that government will look at recommendations as well as look forward to the generation of the report from the Committee by December 15th, 2019.
The Minister also said it is important that the Africa peer review mechanism that is being worked on succeeds, noting that African countries have for a long time allowed others to assess its performance in various sectors.
“There is need to look at it critically to see how it will contribute to improving the lives of the people in the country”, he said.
He added that of all the various Africa peer reviews, the current one is extremely well focused and pointed.
Mr Lubinda, said that Zambia being the second country to participate in the peer review, the country presents itself not only to be reviewed, but also to add to the building process of the structure.
He highlighted that the process itself is being developed and that there is no template that has been proven or used elsewhere, hence the need to revise and perfect it.
The Africa Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) is a mutually agreed instrument voluntarily acceded to by the Member States of the African Union, as a self- monitoring mechanism.
The mandate of the APRM is to encourage conformity with regards to political, economic and corporate governance values, codes and standards among African countries and the objectives in socio economic development as well as ensure monitoring and evaluation of AU agenda 2063 and SDGs 2030.
Uko. As the dust settles the miners will now move in.
But APRM isn’t about such things. Do they hv time to micromanage national parks? I’m gutted.
So what exactly is “ZaYellow’s” position on this one? He wants mining? So far, mining is only benefiting the foreign mining companies. We the owners are left to look for left over scraps as illegal small scale miners or jerabos. So it’s better we just leave the elephants and hippos in lower Zambezi alone.
I said to people that so long as you have crooks in this government such issues are just shelved for a later date. They would rather pass the buck and blame HH to waste time with the blame game when the incompetent President can put this matter to bed with just a stroke of his pen but wont do it as he has eaten the investors money.
Corrupt people they ate their cut already so they have no choice but to allow mining another 5-0 for Zambia
We do not need outsiders to tell us. what is right or wrong with mining in the Lower Zambezi. There is ample skill in Zambia and govt to make that decision. This is very disturbing, a minister asking strangers whether it os ok or not to ruin your own home. Honestly?
I have always thought that the APRM is about governance but now I doubt what Zayelo is saying. Well if their mandate extends to Lower Zambia then I also have a request to make. Please ask the APRM to probe why the ECL11 were humiliated 5 – 0
IMF’s Largard warned poor countries to avoid engaging so called consultants to do studies or write development plans for them! Lubinda is raising more dust after the three Ministers (Misinformation, Mining and Tourism) informed the nation that no mining will take place in the Lower Zambezi! Why do we even need a so called study to decide what is best for our country? What will stop the chaps eying our minerals to sponsor the study and make biased recommendations in their favor? Which part of NO does Lubinda not understand? If you ate something from your sponsors that is your problem! Just don’t bring up issues we have put to bed! The ZEMA study is enough! We should not behave like lower primates that don’t understand the long term value of natural resources! If you put a banana and a $100…
Did those ministers actually say that and did they put it writing? You trust Dora, Chitotela and Charles ‘Lechwe seller’ Banda at your own peril. This is a government that gave Ethiopian Airlines free $30million for a pointless airline today they are failing to raise $40 million to pay ESKOM of South Africa for electricity to power the whole nation.
If you put a banana and a $100 note before a lower primate, it will pick a banana (Mining) instead of the $100 note (Tourism) able to buy the primate more bananas! Even if you are lacking in wisdom, do you need studies for everything?
When you talk tourism to these PF termites they start thinking about National Airlines and procuring Boeing 787 Dreamliner to fly to Zambezi and what cut they can get from it. They have no vision of how to make a success out of it
Zambians should decide on their own. We dont africa peer review. Thats an insult. We are capable.
Should the preservation of LZNP be predicated on tourism alone? Wasn’t tourism attracted to the park because of the beauty and content of the park?
I frequented the place before there was even a single camp. It was a magical place.
It is now apparent to me that this administration has no ability to reason.