Lusambo threatens LCC’s equalisation fund officials
I WILL engage the Ministry of Finance to reduce the Lusaka City Council’s (LCC) equalisation fund because the local authority has gone to sleep, Lusaka Province Minister Bowman Lusambo has said.
Mr Lusambo said it was unacceptable that LCC being the richest council was failing to generate resources on its own.
He said lack of discipline and not working together was reason the council was failing to work to the expectation of the people.
With a lot of resources, Lusaka council alone could be able to pay other councils if workers were to commit themselves and collect revenue at maximum, he stated.
He said the local authority should not depend on equalisation fund as its main source of funding, but that it should work with other government departments to generate resources.
“The council is one of the richest but it is failing because
have gone to sleep and are failing to pay workers because they cannot work together. Only some few individuals are benefiting and I will not tolerate that,” he said.
Mr Lusambo was speaking when he addressed heads of government departments, district commissioners and the local government leadership in Lusaka yesterday.
And Mr Lusambo has assured that his office will ensure 80 percent developmental projects in Lusaka district were completed this year.
He said 2020 was a year of action and that Lusaka Province would work under the theme, “The year of action,” to enhance development.
He challenged all head of department to engage people and accelerate development, knowing that Lusaka was the first district in the country.
Mr Lusambo said he was ready to run around to ensure
Lusaka’s development was enhanced to international levels.
“I am not your boss, but your leader who is free to work with all the people to accelerate development,” he said.
“If you hear people complain which means you are not working and have failed them. 2020 is not business as usual but you should pull up your socks to implement the action,” he said.
Meanwhile Mr Lusambo has said the problem of invading army worms must be investigated so government could establish why they keep emerging.
He also said district commissioners should not spend more of their time in offices, but should be in the field to ensure they delivered according to expectation.
“The DCs and mayors must work together because they are serving the same government and the same people,” he said.