Government To Relaunch Stalled Development Projects
President Edgar Lungu has said he wants to see all developmental projects currently underway in Zambia completed, in order for the public to start receiving some of the benefits.
Speaking to traditional leaders in Ikelenge district on Friday, President Lungu addressed concerns that some projects in the district had been stalled, with some contracts even being terminated.
“Some contracts in this district have been terminated and for Mwinilunga – Jimbe Road, the project is under review so that the contract can be given to others because the Public-Private Partnership with Frecha Mining, the contractor has failed to work,” he said.
He added that “I don’t feel happy when I see projects stalling, it is not Government’s intention. Our intention is to take development to all parts of the country. There are some uncompleted development we as PF inherited from the previous governments and the ones we ourselves initiated which we want completed”.
Traditional leaders made clear their grievances with the president over the lack of proper infrastructure in the district.
Chieftainess Ikelenge said that a good road network was vital for the region’s development, allowing it to capitalise on trade with neighbouring Angola and the DRC and subsequently deliver revenue to the government.
The chieftains also complained of a lack of clean and safe drinking water and electricity supply to the area, saying that there were abundant water bodies which the government could utilise to supply drinking water and hydro-electric power.
Similarly, Chief Mwinyilamba appealed to President Lungu to connect his chiefdom to electricity, saying the lack of power had massively hampered development in the area.
“Lack of electricity in my chiefdom has negatively affected the operation of schools and a rural health centre in my chiefdom. Pupils are not even learning information communication technology due to this challenge,” he said.
Works begin on the Mwinilunga-Jimbe Road in February 2016