Sichone to investigate abuse of funds for Lutembwe block

——————Eastern Province Minister Malozo Sichone  has warned that he will set up  a task force to investigate alleged abuse of funds meant for rehabilitating houses at  Lutembwe family block for the disabled.

The visibly annoyed Provincial Minister who went to inspect construction works at the
institution said those found wanting will be prosecuted.

Mr Sichone said government  through the Zambia Agency for People with Disabilities(ZAPD) in 2010 released K13 million but observed that works
done so far were equivalent to K1million.

The Minister said the act was criminal and officers including the contractors should be held accountable for their actions.

Meanwhile, Sichone  has warned squatters in the Chipata local forest reserve to vacate the  land or face the wrath of the law.

The Minister advised the squatters to start preparing to vacate the forest reserve and approach various chiefs in the district for land.

He said after the grace period which will soon be communicated to the squatters, government will move in to demolish all the structures.

He said government had an ambitious plan of planting 25,000 trees and the forest reserve was one of the areas it had earmarked for the exercise.

The 700 hectares forest reserve has been encroached by squatters who are doing subsistence farming while others have built houses.