• VICE-President Guy Scott (left) poses for a photo popularly known as “Selfie” with one of the students who was graduating at the National Institute for Public Administration (NIPA) 15th graduation ceremony in Lusaka yesterday. Picture by CHUSA SICHONE.

By CHUSA SICHONE –
PRESIDENT Michael Sata has observed that the National Institute for Public Administration (NIPA) has demonstrated its importance to the nation as a strategic institution for the public and private sectors since inception 51 years ago.
President Sata said this in a speech read for him by Vice-President Guy Scott at NIPA’s 15th graduation ceremony in Lusaka yesterday.
He said NIPA had remained a significant human resource training contributor for both the public and private sectors.
“From its inception in 1963, NIPA has proved its importance to our country as a strategic institution both for the public and the private sectors,” he said.
President Sata said the institute’s initial mandate was to build and strengthen the public officers’ capacity for them to adequately manage Government affairs after the country’s independence in 1964.
He said the institute thereafter developed through various phases and risen to various public and private sector human resource challenges in different phases of national development.
“As the Patriotic Front Government, we expect the institute to continue playing a significant role in national development through the training of the civil service. Therefore, the Government’s expectations are quite high,” he said.
President Sata said the global economy thrived on a knowledgeable and skilled workforce in all areas of human endeavour and thus Zambia should ensure that it was not left behind.
He said also that the Government expected NIPA to re-introduce the public service examinations for the promotion and confirmation of public officers as a mandatory requirement.
President Sata observed that NIPA needed financial support to undertake its planned activities and thus pledged Government’s support so that the institute’s capacity was strengthened.
NIPA acting executive director Winner Kanyembo challenged the graduates to apply their minds for the service of the country as their knowledge and skills would be irrelevant if not properly used.
NIPA Governing Council chairperson Mwindaace Siamwiza said the institution had produced graduates whose presence was felt in almost all Government ministries and private sector and that it had pursued a robust infrastructure development agenda coupled with introduction of new degree programmes.