Government reserved K7.3 million for dip tanks

Government reserved K7.3 million for dip tanks

Lusaka, March 6, ZANIS ——– Government has set aside about K7.3 million in the 2013 National Budget on the construction of 126 dip tanks countrywide this year.

And 325 dip tanks will be constructed countrywide between 2013 and 2016 while 10 dip tanks have so far been constructed in selected districts between September 2011 and December 2012.

Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives Lackson Kazabu told parliament today that government is committed to ensuring that it constructs dip tanks countrywide in order to avoid animal diseases and boost livestock farming in the country.

Mr Kazabu however disclosed that the 10 dip tanks that where constructed between September 2011 and December 2012 most of them are in Southern Province because it is where livestock farming is concentrated.

The Deputy Minister was responding to a question raised by Nangoma Member of Parliament Boyd Hamusonde who wanted to know how many dip tanks government constructed countrywide from September 2011 to December 2012 and whether government has plans to construct at least one dip tank in each rural ward.

And government says it will construct 7 schools 3 of which will be Secondary school in Southern Province.

Deputy Minister of Education David Mabumba told Parliament that government is committed to ensuring that education services are taken to all areas countrywide.

Mr Mabumba also announced that Kazungula Secondary school which is still under construction will be completed and opened in the second term of this year.

Mr Mabumba said government has currently not financed to construct schools in Musokotwane, Mukuni, Nyawa and Moomba chiefdom but will consider doing so in future if funds permit.

The Deputy Minister was answering a question from Katombola MP Livune who wanted to know when government will construct secondary schools in Musokotwane, Mukuni, Nyawa and Moomba chiefdoms in Kazungula district.

And Mr Mabumba disclosed that government has spent about K24.5 million on the construction of Nakanyaa High School in Western Province which he said will also be opened this year.
He said government has shown commitment by paying K24.5m out of the total K25.7m for the whole project which started in 2008.

He said the delay on the project was caused by the state of the road which leads to the site making transportation of material almost impossible and cause the whole project to slow down.

The Minister said this in response to Nalikwanda MP Prof Geoffrey Lungwangwa who wanted to know when the construction of Nakanyaa High School will be completed and opened.