By JULIUS PHIRI –

NYIMBA District Commissioner George Phiri has said the human-animal conflict in Nyimba District is preventing some children from going to school.

Mr Phiri said this at the Eastern Province Development Coordinating Committee meeting held in Chipata this week.

He said children attending school at Kalongomwape,  Muliro, Mshalira and Ambo were among the most affected because the schools were in the game management areas.

Mr Phiri also said low staffing levels in most Government departments, inadequate staff accommodation in schools and poor road infrastructure were some of the challenges faced in 2013.

He, however, said a number of projects were implemented in the district such as completion of the emergency water supply project at a cost of K5 million.

Mr Phiri said that the procurement of a district grader to improve the rural road network at a cost of K761,000 using the Constituency Development Fund was another achievement recorded last year.

Meanwhile, Mambwe District has recorded a reduction in the number of tourists visiting the area.

Speaking at the same meeting, Mambwe District Commissioner, Janet Palukani said she was concerned that the number of foreigners touring the South Luangwa National Park had decreased.

Ms Palukani said Livingstone had overshadowed Mambwe’s tourist attractions because of the United Nations World Tourism Organisation general assembly  meeting which was held in August last year.

She said more efforts needed to be made to market the Mambwe tourist attractions to boost the district’s economy.