Melo News | Thursday, May 23, 2024 | Chipata
Eastern Province Deputy Permanent Secretary Lewis Mwape is not happy with slowness by the Chipata City Council and other local authorities in the province when dealing with time framed Constituency Development Fund (CDF) projects.
Dr Mwape says the long procurement process involving CDF projects must be resolved as they are a hindrance in spearheading development in rural areas.
Speaking in an interview after the inspecting some complete and unfinished CDF projects in Luangeni constituency in the company of planning officers and engineers from the Chipata City Council, the Eastern Province Deputy Permanent Secretary said that President Hakainde Hichilema’s target is to see effective national development through CDF projects.
“The many procurement processes surrounding CDF projects must be removed so that we may see various projects in the province move accordingly and timely.
“We are here in Luangeni where some complete clinics where officially commissioned but are not offering a service to members of the public due to lack of some consumables such as medicines. I will engage the Provincial Health Director so that we may have these clinics operational, “he said.
Dr Mwape said Government increased the CDF allocation so that the desired development by the people can be carried out without any delay.
He urged members of staff in local authorities, especially engineers and planners, to effectively work to ensure that quality work of CDF projects by contractors are done.
Dr Mwape said it will be uncalled-for to see substandard works done by the contractors because Government was spending a lot of money on the CDF projects.
And the residents in Nsanjika area implored government to ensure that all the required medical services at the clinic are provided.
Nellia Lungu said people in the area, especially pregnant women, have continued walking long distances to access medical services when they have a completed and commissioned clinic in their location.
“We appeal for the Government, our councillor and area Member of Parliament to look into this issue so that we do not record loss of lives”, she said.
