The latest Central Statistics Office (CSO) report has revealed that the living conditions of people in Northwestern Province has remained poor over the years with poverty levels standing at 76 per cent.

The report says out of the 76 percent, 61 percent were extremely poor while 15 percent were moderately poor.

However, the CSO report indicates that the coming of Kansanshi, Lumwana and other small mines dotted all over North western Province has created close to 7 600 jobs in the formal sector mainly in mining and other sectors serving the mining industry.

Apart from Government, It notes that Kansanshi and Lumwana mines account for over 95 percent of employees in the private sector in the province.

The report further acknowledged that although the province was rich in natural resources such as minerals and good soils, a lot had to be done.

“The road net work in the province is generally poor as a result, economic development is being slowed down at the moment copper has to be transported by road from all the mines in the province to markets or processing plants outside the province’.” The report observes.

It added that North western Province had no industries to support the mining sector as such most of the consumables in the mines were imported from other provinces or outside the country.

The economic boom in the province, Solwezi in particular, the report noted, has seen an increase in the population of motor vehicles resulting into unnecessary congestion. This is because of the few roads and the number of road accidents reported to Police has also increased.

The report has suggested that there was urgent need to build other bridges across Solwezi and Kifubwa rivers because the whole province could be cut off from the rest of the country should there be a serious accident on the two existing bridges.

Despite, the economic development in the province, the report also observed that there were challenges of productivity and economic growth that needed to be addressed.

[ZANIS]

The Parliamentary Committee on Delegated Legislation says the establishment of the Lusaka Multi Facility Economic Zone in Lusaka South will bring development and create employment opportunities for most youths in the area.

The Committee has also commended Government for degazetting the Lusaka South Forest Reserve Number F26 earmarked for the establishment on the Multi Facility Economic Zone.

Parliamentary Committee on Delegated Legislation Chairperson Chishimba Kambili made the remarks and warned that Parliamentarians will not protect Squatters would encroach on the land saying people should start inculcating a culture of respecting existing laws that govern the acquisition of land in the country.

He said the Committee decided to undertake the Field visit to ensure that the proposed area is not occupied by people and whose development will not disadvantage the locals.

Forestry Department Senior Extension Officer jackson Mukosha assured the Committee that no one will be displaced as a result of the development.

Mr. Mukosha said that part of the Reserve was degazzetted between 1954 and 1956 for purposes of mining, refuse disposal, smallholdings, Lilayi aerodrome and for security reasons.

He said once developed, the area would also see the construction of a Lusaka Park in a bid to retain the forest status adding that the Central Business District of the town would also be decongested.

Zambia says it will maintain its membership in both the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) and the Common Market For Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA).

Commerce Permanent Secretary Davidson Chilipamushi disclosed this saying Zambia trades more with SADC but has also an interest in COMESA which has its headquarters in Zambia.

The Permanent Secretary however called for the harmonisation and rationalisation of the protocol of Regional Economic Communities (REC’s).

He noted that COMESA was set to come up with its Customs Union this year while SADC was first establishing the Free Trade Area and that the whole regional intergration package includes the completion of negotiations for the Customs Union in 2010, the Common Market by 2015, and the establishment of a monetary Union by 2016 and the regional central bank with a common currency by 2018.

At the same function during the 14th meeting of the Government Committee of Experts for Southern African briefing in Lusaka yesterday, United Nations Economic Commission for Africa- Southern Africa (ECA-SA) said there was need to deepen efforts aimed at promoting regional intergration in support of the African Union’s vision and priorities.

Economic Commission For Africa Southern Africa Director Jeninifer Kargbo said the ECA office was involved in assisting member states in montoring and assessing progress made in micro economic and institutional policy convergence , monetary and financial intergration as the region prepares for the Free Trade Area (FTA) and Customs Union (CU).

The ECA Southern Africa Director noted that the Southern African Region has presented an evaluation of progress towards the attainment of the FTA and CU in SADC and Common Market For Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA)respectively.

She further noted there was need for countries to have an ultimate goal creation of one trading bloc to benefit the whole region. She added that countries would decide the prices as they get in the Customs Union Phase between now and 2010 as the harmonisation of the Regional Economic Communities REC’s is in process.

The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO)has pumped about US$335 million into the Technical Cooperation Project aimed at promoting cassava production in Central and Luapula Provinces of Zambia.

The Italian government through FAO has also pumped in a further US$750 million for enhancing food security in cassava based systems in the two provinces.

Speaking yesterday during the official opening of a three-day Farm Business School Orientation workshop being conducted under the FAO supported project dubbed ”Enhancing food security in cassava based farming systems”, Luapula Province Acting Permanent Secretary Clement Siame said Government was happy with the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) for implementing a project aimed at improving the business opportunities for cassava farmers.

Mr Siame said Cassava farmers have not benefited much from the economic gains recorded in the country.

The FAO project aims at promoting profitable cassava production system, value addition to the crop and increased market access.

Mr Siame observed that the FAO project would increase incomes and improve the living standards of the small rural households in Luapula and Central provinces.

He said since cassava was mainly grown by small scale farmers, expanding its market would bring direct economic and social benefits to the farmers.

He added that training farmers in enhancing food security in cassava-based farming systems would go a long way in empowering them to an effective role in the market and cassava commercialisation.

The Acting PS further said that farm business school methodology would equip farmers with practical business skills.

Mr Siame also urged small scale farmers to advance beyond achieving household food security to improve incomes by saving and increasing investment in their farming business.

And speaking earlier at the same function, Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives (MACO) National Project Coordinator for FAO, Alick Daka said about $335 million has been pumped into the Technical Cooperation Project (TCP) which is a two-year programme.

Mr Daka explained that this was under the integrated production and processing of cassava for increased food security and income generation.

He said another $750 million was received from the Italian government through FAO for enhancing food security in cassava based systems for Luapula and Central provinces.