The Government will next year start constructing ethanol plants in provincial centres for blending fuel, as a measure to reduce the cost of petroleum in the country.

Minister of Energy Peter Kapala said this today in Kasenengwa District when he paid a courtesy call on Chief Saili and Senior Induna Kapichila ahead of commissioning the 7 million litre capacity Fuel Depot.

The Minister told the traditional rulers that the Ministry of Energy has plans to start producing cheaper blended fuel using ethanol.

Eng. Kapala stated that the blended fuel will use ethanol from cassava, although the wish was to use maize but that is not an option because it could threaten the national food security.

He said the blending of fuel is a strategy to reduce the fuel cost in the economy, which will reduce the cost of doing business and also facilitate the creation of more jobs for the youths.

Speaking earlier, Chief Saili, who represented Paramount Chief Mpezeni of the Ngoni people, said it is hoped that more capital projects will be established in the province to create jobs for young people.

The traditional ruler appealed to the Minister of Energy to ensure that the US$40 million depot that was being commissioned today will create jobs for local people and not those from outside.

The chief also thanked Government for establishing the fuel depots and hoped that the infrastructure which will act as a strategic fuel storage facility will lead to the reduction of fuel in the province.

The Minister of Energy, Peter Kapala, will later this afternoon commission the US$40 million Chipata fuel depot which is located in the Kasenengwa District.

President Hakainde Hichilema says his government has prioritized economic development in order to improve the welfare of the Zambian people.

President Hichilema explained that his administration will ensure all available resources are channeled to more important projects as a way of ramping up the economy.

Speaking when he featured on the Hot FM red hot breakfast show special interview, President Hichilema noted that the country has experienced a collapsed economy that dropped from 6 percent per year to the negatives.

He assured that government is on the road to recovering the economy through implementation of strategic programmes in a more transparent way, thereby projecting a 3.5 percent economic growth per year.

He noted that the mismanagement of resources will be a thing of the past as he expects business to be done systematically to achieve the vision of the Zambian people.

President Hichilema assured that government will also increase funding to communities so that people in rural areas can also benefit from public services, citing all health facilities to have maternity wings and availability of water.

“Responsibility leadership means that we do the rights to the damages of the country in a sustainable way so that others can build on it, we have brought the economy to stabilize by setting our priorities clear,” President Hichilema stated.

The Head of State also dispelled the allegations that government engaged China on the debt issue at a later stage than other creditors.

President Hichilema explained that his administration needed to understand how much the country owed the creditors and balance with what’s in records so that the restructuring process could be strategic.

He noted that the government’s objective was to be strategic and assured citizens to look out for a better deal with the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

The Head of state also touched on the issue of abolishing by-elections saying that it is a waste of resources that can be used for more important projects.

He also indicated that people in the public service are free to retire early if they wish, disclosing that he has even signed some letters to allow those who applied for early retirement because it is their right.

The Head of State further promised to address the concerns raised by callers which included issues of employment, transparency and the economy.

As his administration clocks one year, President Hichilema urged Zambians to rate his governance in comparison with the party manifesto noting it is the only way citizens will differentiate unlike listening to information without proper basis.

THE Forum for African Women Educationalists Zambia chapter (FAWEZA) says it wants the girl child re-entry policy to be turned into law.

FAWEZA executive director, Costern Kanchele  observes that the girl child re-entry policy which was introduced in 1997 has no force on its own to compel guardians and parents to take back their siblings resulting to low levels of girl child retention in most learning institution in the country.

ZANIS reports that Mr Kanchele disclosed this at a media engagement meeting attended by several journalists drawn from different media houses which was officially opened by Southern province information officer, Charles Mangwato.

“The re-entry policy is not law so it is not effective as it is not mandatory. So we want to come up with a framework for it to be turned into a statutory instrument (SI) so that it is law that can penalize those who would not comply to it.

“ We are a consortium of civil society organizations and we have knocked on the doors of the parliamentary committee on education and they are excited about it,” Kanchele says.

FAWEZA in partnership with FAWE-Africa, SAT and Plan International with financial support from the Dutch government has embarked on a five year advocacy project (2021-25) dubbed : ‘Break Free’ whose objective is to reduce child marriages and teenage pregnancies in the country.

It cites inadequate awareness on gender based violence and sexual reproductive human rights (SRHR), high cost of education, poverty, traditional norms, the impact of COVID-19 and the ineffective implementation of laws and policies, particularly the re-entry policy as drivers that perpetuate child marriages and teenage pregnancies.

The project has so far managed to retrieve 190 girls through its established grassroots advocacy structures in the selected five schools per each district of Kalomo, Kazungula and Monze of Southern province.

 In the last four years over 15,000 teenage pregnancies and child marriages under the age of 18 have been reported, the media engagement meeting learnt.

The Break Free project interventions are also being implemented in Kenya, Ethiopia, Malawi and Rwanda.

It seeks to see a reduction of child marriages and teenage pregnancies and to contribute to an improved implementation retention mechanism of the girl child policy in the selected 15 schools of the three districts of Southern province.

Central Province Minister, Credo Nanjuwa, says it is highly suspicious that there could be an

inferno at Kapiri Mposhi and Ndola markets, almost simultaneously.

Mr. Nanjuwa has since directed the security wings to thoroughly investigate the fire incidents that destroyed goods worth thousands of

Kwacha at Riverside market in Kapiri and Ndola on the Copperbelt.

Speaking when he called on Kapiri Mposhi District Commissioner Francis Hasalama today market an act he described as an act of sabotage.

“It is highly suspicious that there could be fires at a market in Kapiri and Ndola at the same time. We must satisfy ourselves by having thorough investigations to erase any doubt,” Mr. Nanjuwa said.

The minister said culprits behind the fire, they must be brought to book adding that it is not easy for people to just lose their source of Livelihoods.

On Monday fire swept through several shops destroying cereals and other goods valued at K615,000.

Earlier, Kapiri Mposhi District Commissioner, Francis Hasalama, said there could be foul play though no truth has been established.

Mr. Hasalama said the assumption is based  on the fact that where the fire started from there was no source that could ignite the fire.

Government has launched the ‘Aim Youth Power Project (AYP)’ in Itezhi Tezhi, with the goal of strengthening the social accountability capacities of youth-led and youth-focused non-governmental organizations.

The project, which is being implemented in six provinces and is being funded by the Deutsche Gesellschaft Fur International Zusammernarbeit GmbH (GIZ), will work to increase civic engagement as well as transparency and accountability of government actions and policies in Zambia.

Speaking at the launch, Project Coordinator Chika Chilekwa stated that the project will empower Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) to hold duty bearers accountable for youth-related services.

 “We are having meetings here in Itezhi Tezhi with gate keepers, parents and guardians because there is a huge problem of child marriages and high school drop outs” Chilekwa said.

Restless Development is educating parents and traditional leaders on the importance of ensuring that children attend school.

The  meetings serve as a platform for duty bearers to encourage communities to hold them accountable for promises made.

Itezhi Tezhi Member of Parliament (MP)  Twaambo Mutinta  ,who graced the launch said government attaches importance to child protection by ensuring that all children‘s rights are protected and promoted.

Mr Mutinta said government was providing social cash transfers through the social welfare department in order to reduce intergenerational poverty.

 “The department also facilitates rights based and all-inclusive policies to promote the best interest of every child in the country by equipping juveniles justice system to effectively and efficiently provide quality justice services.” Mr. Mutinta said.

He said that the government was implementing the Keeping Girls in School (KGS) program to promote girls’ education, as well as providing free education to all children to ensure that every child has the opportunity to receive an education.

The project will strengthen the local CSO’s ability to hold leaders accountable, support child protection issues, and eliminate all forms of Gender Based Violence.

The Lawmaker stated that the project has attracted participation from various government departments such as the Victim Support Unit (VSU), CSOs and Social Welfare .

During the launch events in Nachisenga and Nakabangwe, young people expressed varying perspectives on how they will meaningfully participate in the project’s implementation.

Ruth Mangango, a Nachisenga resident, has expressed gratitude for the Itezhi Tezhi project.

She said that the issue of child marriages in Itezhi Tezhi was extremely serious, with children as young as 12 being forced to participate in initiation ceremonies.

The Ministry of Community Development and Social services, Itezhi Tezhi Candle Light Community Response Organisation (ICCRO), Soul Aid, and Restless Development Zambia will carry out the project.