Scott says Easterners feel neglected

—Vice President, Guy Scott, has observed that people in Eastern Province still feel neglected in government’s development agenda.

Dr Scott noted that this is because some people are politically inclined and cannot be part of the development that is taking place countrywide.

ZANIS reports that Dr Scott assured people in the province that government is addressing developmental concerns in all parts of the country.

He was speaking this afternoon at Kasenengwa Boarding Secondary School in Chipata district shortly before addressing teachers at the institution.

He stated that government remains committed to provide infrastructural development across the country.

“It will take time to complete the developments but we are making headway especially in rural areas,” he said.

And on concerns over delays in the distribution of urea under the Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP), Dr Scott noted that government had released the inputs to the province.

He observed that the rains had delayed, saying farmers still have time to apply the inputs as the crops are still at a responsive phase, but noted that if the distribution is delayed further, it could affect crop growth.

The Vice President said that Nyiombo Investments has since delivered 1200 metric tonnes of top dressing fertiliser.

Meanwhile, senior chief Madzimawe of the Ngoni people of Chipata district has appealed to Government to connect power to Kasenengwa Boarding Secondary School and Kasenengwa Zonal Health Centre.

Chief Madzimawe noted that the area faces a number of challenges due to lack of power.

He also observed that the road that links the school to the rest of the district is in a deplorable state and sometimes becomes impassable. Chief Madzimawe also said that some farmers in his area have not yet received urea.

Meanwhile, Eastern Province Permanent Secretary, Chileshe Mulenga, disclosed that he had given an ultimatum to the contractor working on the road to speed up the road works.

Dr Mulenga said failure by the contractor to improve will lead to termination of the contract.

And school head teacher, Masendeke Sibiziwe, disclosed that Kasenegwa Secondary School has been facing a number of challenges due to lack of electricity.

Ms Sibiziwe said it is expensive to run generators that supply power to the institution, adding that this has affected operations at the institution.

She said t the school spends K50 million each month to run the generator for lighting.

She stated that this has affected study hours for the pupils who learn under difficult conditions.

Ms Sibiziwe also disclosed that the school lacks learning materials and laboratory materials.