DPI calls for strategies to implement sixth national development plan

DPI calls for strategies to implement sixth national development plan
By Namatama Mundia
Mon 18 Jan. 2010, 04:00 CAT

DEVELOPMENT Partnership International-Zambia (DPI) has said there is need to formulate strategies for implementing the sixth national development plan (SNDP) to empower Zambians, especially the youths.

In a press statement yesterday, DPI-Zambia media and strategy coordinator Richard Msauka called on the government to ensure that the fundamental necessity of the plan should have in place strategies which could identify the people who were target beneficiaries during the design process.

“It is important to note that every society that fails to invest properly in young people shatters the future of such society,” Musauka stated. “In the same way, we wish to state that politics of poverty and insults should remain in the past so that energies can be put together in the nation for identifying solutions to the poverty challenges the common people face in the country.”

He noted that there was need for Zambians not to take advantage of the peace and harmony which the country enjoys.

“What we are saying is that there is need to ensure that sound strategies are put in place upon which development efforts which ensure equitable distribution of the national cake is made reality for all,” Musauka stated. “Why is it that Zambians should be living in dehumanising conditions when they sit on natural wealth which is located underground yet it is not clear what the government projects to generate from the mining sector?”

He also called for the reintroduction of the windfall tax on mining companies owing to the rise in copper prices on the international market.

“Because of the continued widespread poverty and underdevelopment in the country, we are urging the government to involve all stakeholders in the country starting with the civil society, the church, media and young people and women to take a rough audit of previous national development plans,” Musauka said.

He stated that identified areas of weaknesses and strengths could be used as benchmarks for successful design and implementation of the sixth national development plan and designing of strategies for its implementation.

“This can translate in the betterment of the general livelihoods of the people and national development. But looking at the way general development efforts have been handled in the past few years, it is agreeable that the poverty situation in Zambia is man-made due to politics of poverty,” he stated.

Musauka further appealed to Zambians to turn out in large numbers to obtain national registration cards in order for them to register as voters and take part in electing selfless leaders during next year’s general elections.

“There is need for scrutiny of people who aspire for leadership in 2011 because scrutiny has been one of the missing factors behind the choices voters make to elect their leaders,” stated Musauka.