Posted Jan 28, 2008
Macha
Councils need resources
Namwala, January, 28-ZANIS-Namwala district council secretary Mr. David Musenge
says government need to consider empowering councils with resources to carry the
grading and rehabilitation of feeder roads.
And Mr. Musenge said the council has approved 9 community schools to be built in
the district using the constituency development funds [CDF] out of the targeted
number of 28 community schools.
Mr. Musenge in an interview with ZANIS today said empowering local authorities
with resources to improve the feeder roads would ensure that quality work was done
on the roads.
“Government would continue to complain about shoddy work been done by contractors
whose main objective is to make profits at the expense of doing quality and
standard work,” said Mr. Musenge.
“It important for government to consider empowering local authorities with road
construction equipment to enable councils do all the necessary works on feeder
roads as well as township roads,” said Mr. Musenge.
He pointed out that at the moment the council has no capacity to do repair works
on the township roads because it has no resources.
And Mr. Musenge said the district approved the use of K260 Million CDF toward the
construction of community school throughout all the 14 wards with the community
members meeting some of the expenses.
He explained that the construction of the each community school would gobble
between K17 Million and K27 Million.
“We intend to start the construction of these schools by February or March this
year,” said Mr. Musenge.
Meanwhile Mr. Musenge admitted that the local community has not been cooperative
in implementing the ‘Keep Zambia clean campaign’ in the district despite
sensitization exercise carried by the council.
A survey conducted by ZANIS showed that no building has been painted, garbage lay
uncollected at the main market and other places with most businessmen pinning the
blame on the council for not doing anything to keep the district clean.
But Mr Musenge added that the local authority would intensify the collection of
garbage, improving on the drainage.
ENDS/ZANIS/FM.