Luapula ideal for economic development – RB

President Rupiah Banda says Luapula province is an ideal area for economic development.

And the President has reiterated government’s commitment to evenly take development to all parts of the country.

Mr. Banda says his administration was committed and determined to put logistics in place to ensure that development activities take place in the entire country.

The President said this today when he officiated at Bwilile ceremony of the Bwile people in Chienge district of senior chief Puta in Luapula Province.

“This is a wonderful province that has got many resources. You have minerals, water and land required for economic development and what is remaining is for government to make it possible for the area to develop,” President Banda said.

He said government is determined to support various development in the natural resource rich province which apart from a good rainfall pattern also has vast mineral deposits, aqua by-products like fish and game, among others.

The President said his administration was going to ensure the road infrastructure in the province is improved as one of the priorities to kick start required economic development.

Mr. Banda also said government will continue to invest in the education sector as a foundation of enhancing development in the country.

He told senior chief Puta and his subjects that the Zambia would develop if her citizens were not educated and properly trained.

He reiterated his administration’s commitment to investment in education evidenced by the ongoing nationwide construction of more schools, teachers and medical staff training programmes, among others.

“You cannot develop if people are not properly educated and trained,” President Banda said.

President Banda also cited the need for adequate health facilities as another priority area for development, saying only a health population can effectively work hard to develop the country.

He mentioned that the country will therefore require hospitals with adequate medicines and trained health personnel.

He said government was going to deliver on its development commitments it has outlined by properly planning the distribution of resources equally among the people of the country.

And senior chief Puta has appealed to government to build boarding facilities at Ponde high school where girls and boys are currently renting houses in the nearby villages.

The traditional leader who spoke through the Bwilile Traditional Committee chairman Denson Chishimba said that the situation of pupils renting houses is retrogressive to the pupils, especially girls.

He said since teachers have no control on the pupils, they are engaging in early sexual encounters.

He urged government to consider building boarding facilities at Ponde because the government vision for advancing the girl child education cannot be realized with the current situation.

Chief Puta has appealed to government to increase fertilizer allocated to the area because the inputs given to the district does not meet the demand.

He further appealed to government to also upgrade a Chienge police post into a police station so that it can be provided the capacity required to deal with crime challenges the area is facing due to population growth.

He said the area also requires a magistrate court, instead of taking the cases to Nchelenge which was making most cases to be discharged as witnesses failed to travel in some instances.

Meanwhile President Rupiah Banda has also thanked the people of Chienge district for being consistent in their support of the MMD government to move forward for economic development by voting for the MP from the party.

The President said MMD as a party will always be grateful for this support that the people of Chienge have shown.

ZANIS