Maravi

Kazonga bemoans vandalism on water, sanitation infrastructure

Kazonga bemoans vandalism on water, sanitation infrastructure
By Agness Changala
Thu 15 July 2010, 04:01 CAT

LOCAL government and housing minister Eustarckio Kazonga has bemoaned the high levels of vandalism on water and sanitation infrastructure.

Officiating at the chief executive officers meeting in Lusaka, Dr Kazonga said curbing vandalism to infrastructure was an important aspect which local authorities must assist.

“A case in point is the rampant flooding of sewerage in Mufulira, largely as a result of deliberate vandalism of infrastructure,” he said.

Kazonga said such malicious acts endangered lives and the public must also take responsibility to ensure that persons vandalising infrastructure were brought to book.

He said the country should not allow vandalism to become endemic as was the case with cholera, which was reported every season.

“I would like to earnestly see cholera become a story of the past as public health is a serious concern to all of us,” he said.

Kazonga said commercial water utilities had a very big role to play in reducing such epidemics.

He urged commercial utilities to form a small committee and put together a proposal to have zero-rating for VAT purposes and other issues that he should present to finance minister Situmbeko Musokotwane for further action.

And Kazonga said the Urban Water Supply and Sanitation Programme (UWSSP) which the ministry had developed would be finalised before the end of the year.

He said the objective of the programme was to raise resources for the sub sector in order to deal with capital investments, capacity development and issues relating to solid waste management and drainages.

He, however, demanded that resources mobilised are seen to be increasing and improving access, quality and reliability of service delivery.

Labels: EUSTARKIO KAZONGA, MUFULIRA, UTILITIES

posted by MrK @ 4:31 AM