By MILDRED KATONGO  and   MOFFAT CHAZINGWA –
LOCAL Government and Housing Minister Stephen Kampyongo has ordered  an   immediate demolition of structures built on Levy Mwanawasa Stadium land in Ndola and a factory being built close to the Nkana Water and Sewerage plant in Kitwe.
Mr Kampyongo who is on a tour of Copperbelt towns was yesterday shocked to find that Ndola City Council (NCC) has allocated land earmarked for a car park at Levy Mwanawasa Stadium while in Kitwe structures are being built close to a water treatment plant.
When he visited Levy Mwanawasa Stadium, the minister directed police in Ndola to immediately halt the construction works going on at the Stadium.
The NCC demarcated and allocated plots to individuals on a piece of land, north of the stadium, reserved for the construction of a parking lot.
Mr Kampyongo who was accompanied by Copperbelt Minister Mwenya Musenge said  police should hold meetings with officials from his ministry and the council to ensure that the construction of houses at the site were halted.
He said Local authorities who were the custodians of land  were supposed to be firm and control illegalities on land allocation.
Mr Kampyongo said it was not right that the land reserved for a parking lot for a stadium could  be allocated to individuals who were building houses.
“I am directing the police here in Ndola to meet with local government and council officials to ensure that construction works going on at the site be stopped. We cannot afford to have people encroach on land reserved for a parking lot,” he said.
He said that whether the individuals constructing houses  had documents or not the police should  move in and stop the  illegal activities.
Mr Musenge said the council should be responsible and stop dragging the Patriotic Front (PF) members into the illegal allocation of  land.
He said party members were aware of the law and that the council should be responsible and stop any illegal land allocations.
Copperbelt  Deputy  police Commissioner Byemba Musole said  the police would move in immediately and halt the construction works.
Mr Musole said police will have a meeting with the local government officials and see how  best they will move in and stop the illegal activities at the site.
In  Kitwe  Mr Kampyongo was  shocked to find that the Kitwe City Council (KCC) had allowed a Chinese company  to  build a factory on land  belonging to Nkana Water and Sewerage when the Government had sourced funds to improve and  expand   water  treatment and supply.
He said  the council could not allow a situation where land  for  the  treatment plant could be encroached with impunity.
The minister who queried Kitwe mayor Kelvin Sinyangwe and Town Clerk Bonwell Lwanga  on the encroachment and instructed  them  to ensure the construction is immediately stopped.