‘Selfish’ chiefs derailing development – Lungu

PRESIDENT Edgar Lungu has charged that some chiefs are derailing development because of their selfishness.

President Lungu said his government was committed to developing all the newly created districts in line with the decentralisation programme but that some chiefs were stumbling blocks by insisting that all projects be undertaken in their chiefdoms.

President Lungu said this yesterday in Lupososhi at the ground- breaking ceremony of Bangweulu Regional Hospital.

Mr Lungu urged the traditional leaders across the country to cooperate with government in its quest to deliver development providing land for projects when asked to.

He said it was sad that some Chiefs were failing to agree among themselves on where projects should be placed.

“I am at pains to understand why some chiefs want to be stumbling blocks in our development agenda by insisting that projects should be in their chiefdom as opposed to agreeing that projects should be where technocrats assured us that they will be better suited,” President Lungu said.

Speaking earlier, Minister of Health Chitalu Chilufya said President Lungu had demonstrated political will to deliver health coverage.

Dr Chilufya said President Lungu’s crusade for universal health coverage had attracted global attention.

And Northern Province Minister Lazarus Chungu said the facility would result in the reduction of referral of patients to Kasama General Hospital and University Teaching Hospitals.

Mr Chungu said the people in Northern and surrounding provinces were happy with the development as it would save them from incurring unnecessary costs.