Maravi

UNDP calls for equitable gain from N/Western Province mines

UNDP calls for equitable gain from N/Western Province mines
Written by Mwala Kalaluka in Solwezi
Tuesday, November 18, 2008 6:55:17 AM

UNITED Nations Development Programme (UNDP) resident coordinator,
Macleod Nyirongo yesterday urged the government to ensure that locals in North-Western Province derive meaningful benefits from the natural resources.

And Nyirongo has expressed gladness at the low levels of HIV/AIDS transmission in the province despite the low levels of sensitisation and the dismal distribution of ARVs.

Paying a courtesy call on North Western Province permanent secretary Jeston Mulando at his office in Solwezi, Nyirongo said the test of the growing mining sector in the area was centred on the benefits that would accrue to the local population.

Nyirongo, who is on a six-day familiarisation tour of the province, said he was attracted to the area because of the fact that it had been described by many as the sleeping giant.

"It is interesting actually to see that the mining sector has injected some economic life in this province," Nyirongo said. "But the test is to the people from this province to get jobs so that they can in turn get meaningful income to send their children to school. The mining sector has to be meaningful and here we look at the government leadership to manage this natural resource so that it can be meaningful to the people."

Nyirongo said another area of economic potential that needs to be looked at to improve the people's living standards was the agricultural sector.

"I think the role of the agencies like ours is to bring in some external factors that can raise productivity," he said.

And Nyirongo said it was impressive to note that the province still had HIV/AIDS prevalence rates of as low as between 6 to 7 per cent despite the negative trends.

He said there was a lot that other provinces could learn in trimming down the pandemic prevalence rates.

"When you look at the number of people getting ARVs and those who need it, it is actually very low. I think there are other factors...with your knowledge in this province, we can learn a lot from what works," he said.

Nyirongo said there was need for the UN to continue working with the National AIDS Council (NAC) to support district teams so that the cultural aspects that have contributed to the low HIV/AIDS levels in the province were sustained.

Meanwhile, Mulando said the team coordinating the fight against the pandemic have targeted the mineworkers coming from outside the province in the sensitization undertakings.

He also attributed the low prevalence levels to the practice of male circumcision among the Lunda and Luvale tribes in the province.

Mulando urged Nyirongo to ensure that the good programmes that are being carried out by the United Nations, through its various agencies, especially in the health sector were improved.

But Mulando said his office was concerned about the refugee situation in Meheba Refugee Camp.

He further urged Nyirongo to collaborate with members of his team to make sure that some of the 15,072 refugees at the camp were assisted to return to their countries of origin.

Labels: HIV/AIDS, MACLEOD NYIRONGO, MINING, NORTHWESTERN PROVINCE, UNDP

posted by MrK @ 6:57 AM