KATIMA MULILO – Zambezi Regional Governor Lawrence Sampofu has reiterated capital projects in the region are in different stages of development.
This he said either at an advanced stage, completed or hampered by budgetary constraints due to across the board budget cuts by government.
Sampofu made these remarks during his State of the Region Address (Sora) for 2019.
According to Sampofu some projects date back to the 2012/2013 financial year but they are yet to be completed. He says these are due to financial constraints or poor workmanship by contractors who were awarded tenders.
He however highlighted on some of the projects which were completed during the 2018/2019 financial year.
“We count the completion of Lusese Clinic that have been upgraded into a standard Primary Health Care Clinic, the finalisation of the long overdue Ngoma Primary Health Care and the construction of a Primary Health Care Clinic at Kaenda,” said Sampofu.
He further stated “the completion of the Kabbe South and Linyanti Constituency offices is another regional milestone, an achievement aimed at bringing service closer to the people.”
Sampofu also pointed out that learners’ accommodation and learning facilities continue to be a challenge in the region but provisions have been realised to curb some situations.
Among others, he stated that seven classrooms for pre-primary were constructed at Sesheke Combined School, Maunga and Liswani III Junior Primary. While 22 classrooms are being constructed for the revised curriculum in eleven schools and six of them have now been completed.
Regarding learners’ accommodation, he stated the renovation of hostels was done at Mafwila Senior Secondary School, while the hostel at Ndoro is at an advanced stage though the hostel at Luhonono is not progressing at all.
Sampofu also stated road infrastructure is progressing well in the region. While rural electrification is going at “a snail’s pace due to high costs of electrical supplies”. Among others in the way forward Sampofu also called for the extension of the railway from Grootfontein to Katima Mulilo, “for trade and development in the region with neighbouring countries”.
He also called on regional and local authorities to practice good governance and steer the development of the region. “We must make sure every dollar sent to our region by the central government must be put to good use and no funds are send back to Treasury,” said Sampofu.