Maravi

LETTERS - Ministers, Land Policies

Govt officials' attitudes
By Mkandawire S
Thursday July 03, 2008 [04:00]

The observations made by Northern Province minister, Lameck Chibombamilimo ( The Post June 30, 2008) over the slow pace in implementing developmental projects in the province cannot pass without comment. Chibombamilimo is right in stating that some government officers are unconcerned about implementing the already-budgeted for and funded projects.

Many development projects would have been completed by now had it not been for the selfish interests of a few government officials. Indeed, it does not make sense for the government officials to be conducting feasibilty studies for projects that cannot be implemented, especially when money has been released for such projects.

Zambia's development will be at stake if the attitude of tired government officials does not change. Change can also take place by injecting young blood with zeal and vision. It appears most ministers wait for the president to tell them to perform certain functions. They seem to lack initiative.

This attitude must be abandoned if our aim and objectives are to attain the Millenium Development Goals by 2015.


http://www.postzambia.com/post-read_article.php?articleId=43512

Land policy
By Concerned citizen
Thursday July 03, 2008 [04:00]

While macroeconomic indicators for the Zambian economy are relatively positive, much needs to be done for their effects to be felt by the vast majority of our people who live in abject poverty. One way of immediately having a trickle-down effect in the country's economic gains is to implement a bold and prudent land management policy.

The government, through the Ministry of Lands, needs to deregulate the allocation of land for housing. There are several Zambians that can afford to build decent houses costing between K250 million to about K400 million.

An acre sold to people after careful screening for K10 million with conditional title deeds that would be formalised after 24-36 months in prime areas that are currently a preserve for the rich and speculators, would guarantee the government the much-needed economic stimulus.

With such a policy or a better and modified one, this country would have not less than 500, 000 housing units in the next three years. Short-term employment would be created for thousands of skilled and unskilled able-bodied people on our streets. This can result in the easing of artificial congestion in unplanned settlements and the incidence of airborne diseases such as TB. This would also reduce the rate of crime.

There is no justification for the skyrocketing prices for land that we read about in the papers everyday. I challenge the Ministry of Lands to be proactive and think long-term.

In the last few months, we have seen how aggressively the Americans have tried to stimulate an ailing economy. Public works programmes have a long history in industrialised countries as an economic-policy tool, both as a fiscal measure to expand or contract public spending in periods of unbalanced domestic demand as well as a short-term measure to alleviate unemployment. We do not need to re-invent the wheel.

This country has enough resources to attain middle income-country status before 2030. With the rising fuel prices and food prices, time to take aggressive and bold measures that will have a long term effect on our children and grand children is now.

Labels: LAMECK CHIBOMBAMILIMO, MINISTERS, PROJECT MANAGEMENT

posted by MrK @ 3:29 AM