Friday, March 29, 2024

Cabinet approves 6 bills and policy decisions in recent meeting

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Minister of Information, Ms. Chushi Kasanda, has announced that six Bills and four policy decisions were approved by the Cabinet at the 3rd Cabinet Meeting held on Tuesday, 21st and Wednesday, 22nd February 2023, at State House. The approved Bills will be introduced in the current sitting of Parliament. The Bills cover issues such as rural electrification, environmental management, controlled substances, the Examinations Council of Zambia, the Teaching Profession Act and the National Pension Scheme. The Cabinet also approved the hosting of the 42nd Roundtable Conference of the African Association for Public Administration and Management (AAPAM) in Livingstone, Zambia, from 6th to 9th December, 2023.

The Rural Electrification Bill, 2023, aims to promote and enhance rural electrification, re-define the functions of the Rural Electrification Authority and its Board and continue the existence of the Rural Electrification Fund. The Environmental Management (Amendment) Bill, 2023, seeks to amend the Environmental Management Act No. 12 of 2011, so as to revise the functions of the Zambia Environmental Management Agency; harmonise the provisions relating to solid waste management with the Solid Waste Regulation and Management Act No. 20 of 2018; domesticate the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol on substances that deplete the ozone layer; provide for the registration of pesticides or toxic substances and revise the provision on summary imposition of penalties.

The Controlled Substances Bill, 2023, is aimed at providing adequate regulation of controlled substances by repealing and replacing the Dangerous Drugs Act, 1967. It aims to provide for the granting of a license to deal in manufacture, import and export of controlled substances; regulating the use, dispensing, manufacture, wholesale, transfer, supply, sell, distribution and possession of a controlled substance for medicinal, scientific and research purposes; and grant sufficient authority to the Zambia Medicines Regulatory Authority to regulate controlled substances.

The Examination Council of Zambia Bill, 2023, seeks to address the inadequacies of The Examinations Council of Zambia Act, 1983. The new Bill aims to repeal and replace the Act to, among others, re-define the functions of the Examinations Council of Zambia; constitute the Board of the Examinations Council of Zambia and provide for its functions; provide for the accreditation of examination centers, provide for the administration of examinations and repeal and replace the Examinations Council of Zambia Act, 1983.

The Teaching Profession (Amendment) Bill, 2023, aims to amend the Teaching Profession Act No. 5 of 2013 to align it with the Higher Education Act No. 4 of 2013 with respect to the provisions providing for training of teachers, registration of colleges, and accreditation of learning programs and qualifications. The National Pension Scheme (Amendment) Bill, 2023, aims to provide for members to access a pre-retirement benefit by amending the National Pension Scheme Act, 1996.

The Cabinet also approved the hosting of the 42nd Roundtable Conference of the African Association for Public Administration and Management (AAPAM) in Livingstone, Zambia, from 6th to 9th December, 2023. The AAPAM conference is aimed at discussing and sharing knowledge and best practices on public administration and management in Africa.

The approved Bills and policy decisions aim to enhance governance and service delivery in various sectors, including rural electrification, environmental management, education, and pensions. The hosting of the AAPAM conference is also aimed at sharing knowledge and best practices on public administration and management in Africa. The Bills will be introduced in the current sitting of Parliament, and if passed, they will become laws

3 COMMENTS

  1. I won’t comment because I have a history with this woman and a few upnd bloggers are starting to spread rumours. Fuseke

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  2. If you asked this woman to elaborate on these bills she will lamentably fail to elaborate..its really laughable UPND have placed an empty suit in such a sensitive govt department.

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