Building materials worth thousands of rebased Kwacha meant for the construction of a health centre in chief Mukwikile`s area in Muchinga province have gone to waste.
This came to light yesterday when Muchinga Province minister Charles Banda paid a courtesy call on chief Mukwikile of the Bemba people of Shiwangándu district.
Chief Mukwikile complained that the construction of a health centre in his chiefdom has stalled.
He complained that his subjects were covering over 70 kilometres to seek medical attention in Mpika or Matumbo because of non availability of a health facility in his area.
Muchinga Province minister Charles Banda was dismayed when he discovered during an inspection tour of the unfinished structures that building materials, which include 157 pockets of cement, tins of paint and door frames among others, have been lying idle.
The materials were bought in 2010 by the provincial administration in Northern province.
The visibly annoyed Mr. Banda said it was criminal to buy building materials using tax payers’ money and allow the same to go to waste without being used.
Mr. Banda, who was accompanied by his Deputy Permanent Secretary Jewis Chabi and district heads of government departments, said it was unfortunate that the construction of the health centre has stalled.
He was saddened that the structure has remained uncompleted when it was scheduled to be completed in 2011 so that the local people could benefit.
He said people in the area were being made to travel long distances to access health services from Mpika and Matumbo which are about 70 kilometres and 50 kilometres away respectively.
Mr. Banda said the decision by the former administration in Northern Province under the MMD government to abandon the project was total negligence.
He has since directed his Permanent Secretary and the district administration in the province to institute serious investigations into the matter and ensure that all the culprits were made to account for their deeds.
The Provincial minister has also strongly advised supervisors of government projects to ensure that projects are completed on time.
Meanwhile, initial investigations have revealed that a Mpika based contractor, who was awarded the labour-based contract by the Northern Province administration under the supervision of former Permanent Secretary Mwalimu Simfukwe, suspended the works after discovering that not all building materials required for the project were readily available for him to do the work.
And chief Kabanda of the Bemba people of Chinsali district has appealed to government to consider building a secondary school in his chiefdom.
Chief Kabanda told Mr. Banda yesterday during his continued tour of the districts that the nearest school was Ilondola mission secondary school which is over 40 kilometres from his area.
But Mr. Banda said government has planned to build a secondary school in each chiefdom in the province adding that works would start soon.
Mr. Banda, who was recently transferred from Eastern to Muchinga Province, is on a familiarization tour to check on developmental projects in the area.
He is also taking time to visit chiefs to explain government programmes and plans for development.
ZANIS
Chabipa nokumfwa.Awe chabulanda sana kwena.
People are not serious!
PF have been in power since September 2011, how come the Minister has just discovered this today. Thought brilliant blue eyed boy, going by the name of one Mwamba was PS for Northern, then Muchinga had embarked on inspection tour of the province? So he missed out this one! If the Minister didn’t visit this farfetched area, this observation would have been swept under the carpet. This is one country that is thinking of putting up industrial clusters and multi facility processing zones – we are waiting!
“And chief Kabanda of the Bemba people of Chinsali district has appealed to government to consider building a secondary school in his chiefdom.”
For your own information, the school will not be completed on time and before you even know it, it will be commissioned in its state and handed down for use! Some of the iron roofing sheets will be held by bricks as a temporary measure to facilitate the handing over, full of pomp – probably just before the elections ….. and then one day, a strong whirlwing will come and rip them off, which will result in a terrible drama ! A misfortuned teacher has just had her head sliced off whilst teaching in Western Province. A very sad event ideed!
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