By DAVID CHONGO –
THE North-Western Development Council of Elders in North-Western Province has backed President Edgar Lungu’s decision to create Kalumbila and Mushindamo districts as this will positively contribute to the realisation of the Decentralisation Policy.
Chairperson of the elders Lukas Chikoti said President Lungu had proved to be a selfless leader whose interest was to take development equally across the country.
Mr Chikoti was speaking during a Press briefing at Kansanshi Hotel in Solwezi yesterday.
He said the two new districts would take Government operations closer to the people, thereby enabling vital services like farming inputs, health facilities and good roads to be accessed with ease.
Mr Chikoti said the province was seeing more developments under the current Government than before when local people complained that despite contributing a lot to the national economy, little was happening in the province.
“We were crying all along but now we are able to see light at the end of the tunnel on the number of projects that are taking place in the province. We want to thank the President for having given us the two districts,” Mr Chikoti said.
“This is something that we have been crying for, for a long time. We are happy that we have gotten our turn. So you take this message strongly to the President, that the people of North-Western Province are very happy with what you (President) have done for giving them the two districts. We are embracing that opportunity with two hands. When taking that message (to President Lungu) make emphasis that it’s very rare to see such a President who from time to time visits his own people.”
Provincial Permanent Secretary Amos Malupenga said President Lungu had serious intentions regarding developing the region as evidenced by his numerous visits.
Mr Malupenga said during the next visit President Lungu would not only officially open the Lumwana Hospital but recommit the Government to building a university whose site had already been identified.
This would add to the ongoing projects such as the connection to the national grid of all the districts and tarring of urban roads in five districts.
Mr Malupenga said the Government was not just paying lip service but delivering tangible development and called for people to support it.
Mr Malupenga, however, bemoaned the tendency by some people to always criticise the Government even when it was delivering development in many areas.
“There are those who feel that nothing has happened, Government is just paying a lip service. And that is what is very discouraging and disappointing because the President is a human being, he also has got feelings and emotions and when good things are done, he expects those to be acknowledged the way you have done.
“You have not minced your words, you have always insisted on the issue of development and his job is to take corrective action,” Mr Malupenga said.