The government says it remains committed to supporting and ensuring that the internship and apprenticeships programmes are up scaled to enhance skills development in the country.

Minister of Youth, Sports and Child Development, Emmanuel Mulenga said internship and apprenticeships is targeted at empowering people especially youths to improve their skills in different fields.

Mr Mulenga was speaking during the launch of a three days training of trainers workshop on planning and implementation of quality apprenticeships, upgrade of informal apprenticeships and internship programmes funded by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) in Chongwe today.

He said government plans to roll out the project at national level hence the introduction of the national internship and apprenticeship programme which targets to reach out to nine thousand youths at an estimated cost of K117milion.

“The internship is aimed at providing tertiary institution graduates with the much -needed work experience to enhance their capability while the apprenticeship part is meant to facilitate practical vocational skills acquisition for sustainable livelihoods and development.

“The youth lead project and the national internship and apprenticeship programme are guided by two policy documents, the 2019 work based learning framework and the National internship guidelines under the Ministry of Higher Education,” he said.

And ILO Director, Brian Chipili said it is encouraging that government recognises apprenticeships and internship as one of the strategies of enhancing skills development in the country.

“ Innovative Public-Private Partnerships help young people make transition of good jobs ,apprenticeship and internships provide practical training as well as equip young people with critical core skills and better understanding of the world of work that improves their chances for success in the labour market,” Mr Chipli said.

In August this year, President Edgar Lungu launched the Youth and Empowerment Fund amounting to K470 targeting 150,000 youths as beneficiaries.

And 9,000 out of the 150,000 youths have been earmarked as beneficiaries of the national internship and apprenticeship programme.

Minister of National Development Planning Alexander Chiteme says Zambia has laid a sound foundation for implementation, monitoring and reporting on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Mr. Chiteme informed the Committee on parliamentary and Cabinet Affairs that his Ministry through the Zambia Statistics Agency (ZAMSTATS), developed the national SDGs baseline report, which provides comprehensive assessment of indicators that Zambia is able to report on with the data available from local and international data sources.

In the statement availed to ZANIS in Lusaka today, he explained that in line with the National Planning and Budgeting Policy of 2014 and the National Planning and Budgeting Bill of 2019, the Ministry of National Development Planning has been guiding government Ministries, Provinces and Spending Agencies (MPSAs) on the mainstreaming of SDGs at various levels.

“Government has led Zambia’s efforts in collaboration with the UN country team through the United Nations Sustainable Development Partnership Framework (UNSDPF) 2016-2021, which was jointly signed on 19th November 2015. The partnership framework has been aligned to Zambia’s Seventh National Development Plan (7NDP). All SDGS relevant to the country context were mainstreamed into the 7NDP to the extent of 86 percent. The Ministry, in coordinating the formulation of subsequent national development plans, will ensure that the country continues to mainstream the relevant SDGS,” Mr Chiteme said.

He said the ministry was working with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in building the capacity of sub-national 7NDP coordination structures namely the cluster advisory groups, the provincial and district development coordinating committees.

Mr. Chiteme explained that the Government and key stakeholders conducted the Mid-Term Review of the 7NDP and identified implementation challenges, which included among others, delays in the implementation of identified reforms in the 7NDP.

He said the Mid-Term Review provided recommendations and actions to be taken to strengthen and fast-track implementation of national development programmes including SDGS.

“As part of periodic monitoring, the National Development Coordinating Committee (NDCC) meets twice a year to monitor performance of the Plan, identify implementation challenges and their implications, and come up with policy resolutions to address the identified challenges. In addition, clusters report on a quarterly basis to President Edgar Lungu,” he said.

He informed the Committee that the National Planning and Budgeting Bill, once enacted will provide a legal backing for the operationalization of the advisory bodies both at national and sub-national levels.

The Minister explained that Government developed and launched the National Monitoring and Evaluation Policy in 2019, which provides government wide-monitoring and evaluation or management information system principles, procedures, structures and responsibilities that shall be used to effectively conduct national monitoring and evaluation for all development processes.

This was contained in statement availed to ZANIS in Lusaka yesterday by Ministry of National Development Planning Spokesperson Chibaula Silwamba.

Barotse Royal Establishment (BRE) Prime Minister the Ngambela, Manyando Mukela has urged people in Western province to register during the on-going voter registration exercise which was launched yesterday.

And Mr Mukela has disclosed that the Litunga Lubosi Imwiko ll has registered as a voter.

He stated that all eligible citizens should demonstrate their democratic right by registering as voters.

“I want to inform our people that his majesty the Litunga has also registered as a voter, this gives the whole weight of voting as an important exercise because we have seen that our king has done the same,” he said.

“We urge all people in Barotseland to register as voters and join the rest of the people in Zambia so that when time comes in 2021 we can all get to our polling stations and vote,” he said.

Meanwhile, Mr Mukela has appealed to ECZ to extend the voter registration period to allow for more people to be captured.

And Limulunga District Registration Officer, Namenda Kaonga has applauded the eagerness and interest shown by residents in the area to be part of the voters.

“People have expressed happiness with the quality of the cards and the registration is not tedious even though they did not register online,” he said.

Mr Kaonga said the exercise will be conducted for four weeks in all the 60 registration centres with each centre being allocated seven days.

President Edgar Lungu has promised to uplift the wellbeing of traditional leaders. The President made the assurance after noting the importance of traditional leaders in the governance system.

President Lungu said government is aware of the vital role traditional leaders play in the governance of the country and hence pledged to care for them.

The Head of State further noted that construction of Chief’s palaces is an ongoing programme despite financial challenges

He said that government intends to work with other stakeholders so that palaces are constructed for traditional leaders to live comfortably.

The President was speaking in Mumbwa yesterday afternoon during a meeting with traditional leaders in response to various challenges that were presented before him.

“As government we are responsible for traditional leaders. We know chiefs are useful but they can only be so when they are comfortable,” the President said.

“The construction of palaces, we remain committed to that even though funds are not available. We are working on it and we will approach other stakeholders whom we know are able to work with us,” he said.

The President added that apart from construction of palaces, government is among other things looking into the issue of transport and subsidies for Chiefs.

And President Lungu further hinted that government desires to see that Mumbwa district like any other town receives improved health care services for the people.

And President Lungu noted that the Ministry of health is working hard in ensuring that newly constructed health facilities are equipped with needed machinery, drugs and human resource to provide health services closer to families and only leave referrals to bigger hospitals.

“We want to provide hospitals with new equipment, human resource and everything that is needed. I will call Minister of Health to find out the status for Mumbwa and also on the issue of ambulances for the district for feedback,” he said.

Earlier, Chief Mulendema who represented other traditional leaders, requested the Head of State to look into transport issues for Chiefs and ambulances for Mumbwa District Hospital and health centres.

The traditional leader also among other things requested President Lungu to consider construction of feeder roads, Chief’s palaces and to help with maintaining of discipline among their subjects.

Other traditional leaders present at the meeting were Chief Moono, Chief Shakumbila, Chief Kaindu and Chief Chibiluma.

National Guidance and Religious Affairs Minister Godfridah Sumaili says government will continue to work with the Church and traditional leaders to foster development.

Rev. Sumaili said government appreciates the role of the church and traditional leaders as they provide leadership for the people in their various capacities.

ZANIS reports that Rev. Sumaili said this when she paid a courtesy call on Chieftainess Lesa of the Lamba people in Mpongwe district.

Rev. Sumaili said government is aware of the challenges that people in Mpongwe district are faced with and pledged to address the various challenges.

“We want to commit that we will work hand in hand with you our traditional leaders as we do with the church so that together we can develop our country,” she noted.

“We will continue to improve infrastructure, and provide good health care services as well as providing quality education for our children,” she said.

And Chieftainess Lesa thanked President Edgar Lungu for striving to leave no one behind in the country’s development agenda.