General News
Western Province PS cautions engineers against shoddy works
Mongu, April 4, 2023, ZANIS—Western Province Permanent Secretary, Simomo Akapelwa, has urged engineers from local authorities to ensure that premature road failure is avoided.
Mr Akapelwa said engineers are expected to deliver projects on time and within the right quality.
He was speaking when he officially opened a seven-day workshop for engineers in Mongu today.
The workshop is aimed at equipping the engineers with knowledge in material testing, project quality control and project management.
Mr Akapelwa noted that the workshop involves both theoretical and practical work.
“I am glad that the workshop has been drafted to provoke discussions that will bring out the real challenges faced by the local authority and how best they can be addressed,” he said.
The Permanent Secretary said the knowledge gained during the workshop will also greatly assist the local authorities in managing the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) in order to ensure project efficiency and effectiveness.
He said it is satisfying that engineers have come together to learn and experience the changing environments of road design, construction and maintenance.
“You have been tasked to serve the people of Zambia by ensuring value for money on road construction and maintenance projects,” he said.
The Western Province Permanent Secretary is hopeful that the training will bring about a change in mindsets among engineers because the responsibility of Zambia’s infrastructure lies on their shoulders as designers, builders and maintenance experts.
Mr Akapelwa has since commended the partnership among the National Council for Construction (NCC), National Road Fund Agency (NRFA) and the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development.
“This partnership will help to spur the government’s infrastructure and developmental agenda in rural and urban areas while strengthening diverse work culture for technical staff in the local authorities,” he said.
Meanwhile, Mr Akapelwa has urged women to take up engineering courses in order to achieve the 50 percent representation that women have been spearheading in decision making positions.
“In a group of 30 engineers, I can only see three women. Please encourage your sisters to take up this career. You want 50 percent representation. At SADC (Southern African Development Community) you have lowered it to 30 percent,” he said.
The training has brought together 30 engineers who work for the councils in Western, Central, Lusaka and Southern Provinces.
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Katete, April 03, 2023, ZANIS—The construction of a new stricture to house Katete Police Station has commenced and is expected to be completed by the end of this year.
The district has three police posts and one police station that has been housed in government offices since 1965.
Speaking in an interview with the Zambia News and Information Services (ZANIS), Katete District Commissioner (DC), Malan Zimba, said the works will be completed in eight months.
“The Correctional Service is the one building it with the help of engineers from the council and Ministry of Infrastructure who are also supervising the works,” he said.
Mr Zimba said there will be benefits that would come as a result of erecting a police station within the central business district (CBD).
“So there are many advantages of that police station, one, the current police station was built in colonial times which is outside the CBD, but this one has been taken at the heart of the town which will help people access police services,” he said.
He said it will also be easier for the police officers to mobilise themselves around that area whenever there is crime.
Currently, people have to cover a distance of about 10 kilometres to access the police station.
Meanwhile, a senior citizen in the district, Jerry Chanda, said the construction of the police station within the heart of the district would help prevent crime.
“People will now be fearing that if they commit a crime, they will easily be picked up,” Mr Chanda said.
Another resident, Naphtali Mwanza, said building a police station closer to where many people conduct their businesses will encourage residents to report criminal activities and offences timely.
Mr Mwanza said many people are currently discouraged to cover a long distance to the police station.
“So when they build a big police station, all will be helped and security will be strengthened,” he said.
And Sarah Ngulube said the construction of the police station will bring about law and order hence incidents of criminal activities will reduced.
“When the police are nearby, there is peace and cases of robbery are reduced,” Ms Ngulube said.
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Mongu, April 3, 2023, ZANIS—Western Province Permanent Secretary, Simomo Akapelwa, has urged engineers to be consistent in the building of quality structures that will stand the test of time.
Mr Akapelwa observed that there is a level of inconsistence in the manner the bill of quantities (BoQs) are done by some engineers in the district.
He was speaking when officials from the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development as well as engineers from the National Road Fund Agency (NRFA) paid a courtesy call on him in Mongu today.
He said the projects that are spearheaded by Mongu Municipal Council cost less while projects under Provincial Administration are expensive despite being handled by the same engineers.
He said there is need for collaboration among engineers so that all variations are sorted out.
And Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development Technical Advisor, Stephen Malubila, said the team is in the province to train engineers from the council so that projects can be running smoothly in the region.
Mr Malubila said there will be no problem in the quality of work that will be done after engineers have been trained.
The team will be conducting a seven days training for council engineers in the province.
The training is part of the continued effort to abridge shortcomings in the engineering field in the country. ZANIS/ENDS/PM/KSH……………DRY
Zimba, April 3, ZANIS—The Energy Regulation Board’s (ERB) move to adjust the pump price has elated most motorists in Zimba district in Southern Province.
On Friday last week, the ERB, announced the reduction of petrol price by K0.93 per litre and K2.97 per litre of diesel.
The new price for petrol is K27.59 from K 28.52 per litre while one litre of diesel will now cost K26.28 from K29.25.
The prices of kerosene and JET A-1 have been maintained at K22.29 and K25.34 per litre respectively.
The motorist which ZANIS interviewed expressed happiness at the development.
Joseph Choongo, a driver, said the reduction in fuel price is a relief to him.
Mr Choongo hoped that the reduction in fuels prices would translate into a drop in the prices of commodities.
“This reduction in fuel pump prices is a good move by government and I commended it,” he said.
Another motorist, Muuya Chulu, is optimistic that the reduction in fuel prices will result in reduced bus and taxi fares.
Meanwhile, Luke Mwiinga, who is in passenger transport business, welcomed the reduction of fuel prices.
Mr Mwiinga said more people will afford to travel in decent public transport vehicles if the fares are reduced.
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Construction of new Katete police station kicks off
Western Province PS calls for consistency among engineers
Zimba motorists welcome fuel price reduction
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