Maravi

Fr Mwanza urges govt to prioritise rural development
By Allan Mulenga
Thu 30 Jan. 2014, 14:00 CAT

RURAL development is crucial for national development, says Fr George Mwanza. Commenting on Vice-President Dr Guy Scott's statement that taking development to rural areas is an uphill struggle, but that the PF is equal to the task, Fr Mwanza, the parish priest of St Thomas Anglican Church in Petauke, said development had concentrated in urban areas.

"Development should be taken where the people are. The people need to see development in their areas. Talk about incentives for people who live in rural areas," he said.
Fr Mwanza said there was need for the government to put in place measures that would uplift rural people's welfare.

"Programmes such as Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP) are good ones, but people are not graduating to another level. Small-scale farmers remain perpetual beggars," he said.

Fr Mwanza said poverty was much pronounced in rural areas.

"People tend to shift to urban areas due to poor facilities in rural areas. There is need for people in the rural areas to acquire productive means rather than promoting the rich. It is very bad," he said.

Fr Mwanza urged the government to prioritise rural development in its national development agenda.

"It is worrying; where you have good education programmes they are done in urban areas at the expense of rural children. We need to emphasise on good education in rural areas than in the urban areas. The standards of education must remain the same. Not whereby children in rural areas are getting mediocre education and urban areas are getting good standard of education," said Fr Mwanza.

Last week, Vice-President Scott said taking development to rural areas was an uphill struggle, but that the PF was equal to the task.

Speaking to journalists after visiting Katuba Constituency in chieftainess Mungule's area, Vice-President Scott said there was a lot that needed to be done in the remote parts of Zambia.

"There are many things that require to be done in Zambia's villages and this is what the PF is committed to. That is why we are building roads, clinics and also trying to upgrade all these old infrastructure. It is an uphill struggle, but it is a struggle which we are equal to," said Vice-President Scott.

Labels: GEORGE MWANZA, RURAL AREAS

posted by MrK @ 6:05 PM