Agro sector devolved

By VIOLET TEMBO GOVERNMENT has decentralised ministries of Agriculture and Livestock to Copperbelt province, regional permanent secretary Elias Kamanga has told the Daily nation.

Mr. Kamanga said the two ministries’ decentralisation would become effective in 2019.

He said the ministries’ respective budget for the province would be administered at regional level next year.

Mr. Kamanga also disclosed that there was progress on the construction of three chiefs’ palaces in the province.

He said works on Chief Nkambos' palace were near completion and the contractor was expected to hand over the project by this year’s end.

He added that works on Chiefs Shimukunami and Mwinunas' palaces were expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2018. Mr. Kamanga said once construction of the three houses was completed, the provincial administration would embark on the second phase of building additional palaces until all Lamba chiefs in the province were covered.

He said the Ministry of Chiefs and Traditional Affairs was committed to ensure the 18 chiefs in the province had decent shelter.

“Yes, we admit that implementation of the plan to construct the said houses has been slow on our part because of the earlier method adopted. We engaged communities in the mentioned areas to do the works but there was low participation.

“We changed the plan and engaged contractors to build right from the foundation. My office is pleased with the pace at which the contractor is moving…if the contractor remains consistent I am convinced beyond doubt that construction of six palaces can be completed next year,” Mr. Kamanga said.