Maravi

(DAILY MAIL) Floods challenging – Kunda

Floods challenging – Kunda
By ANGELA CHISHIMBA

VICE-PRESIDENT George Kunda says the nation is expected to experience regional food shortages that will require intervention to avert hunger. And Mr Kunda said preliminary assessments indicated that the cost of repair of roads and bridges would be challenging.

Mr Kunda was speaking in Lusaka yesterday when International Organisation for Migration (IOM) donated items worth US$33,000 (K187.5 million) towards flood victims.

He said the North-Western and Western Provinces had severe floods which caused extensive damage to food crops as well as infrastructure such as roads, bridges, schools and clinics.

Mr Kunda said the impact of the heavy rain and floods on crop yield in some parts of the country was expected to be severe. He said he was however happy that the IOM had come to the aid of government.

Mr Kunda said IOM was better placed to understand and appreciate the pain and anguish that displaced people went through because it dealt with migrants across the world.

“It is therefore natural, in my view, that the International Organisation for Migration has magnanimously made a generous donation of essential items needed by people that were displaced from their natural habitats.

“I need to stress here that the Government of the Republic of Zambia is not only grateful for this donation, but for a reliable partner in the settlement and resettlement of Zambian citizens who migrate from across the world,” he said.

Mr Kunda said the Zambian government treasured its partnership with IOM.

He called upon other well-wishers to partner with government in mitigating the impact of the just-ended heavy rainy season.

And IOM Chief of Mission, Josiah Ogina said his organisation had worked closely with the Disaster Management and Mitigating Unit (DMMU) by participating in planning and providing logistical support to flood victims.

“IOM has been trying to put resources together to assist DMMU in mitigating the effects of the floods that have hit most parts of the country,” he said.

Mr Ogina said the items donated included 100 tents, 200 of wheelbarrows, shovels and hoes.

He pledged his organisation’s continued support to the government in mitigating the effects of floods.

The donation was witnessed by Minister of Information and Broadcasting Services, Lieutenant-General Ronnie Shikapwasha, Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives, Brigadier-General Brian Chituwo and his Community Development and Social Services counterpart, Michael Kaingu.

Others included Deputy Minister of Health, Mwendoi Akakandelwa and his education counterpart, Clement Sinyinda.

Labels: FLOODS, GEORGE KUNDA

posted by MrK @ 2:16 PM