Chambishi Copper Smelter constructs houses, toilets for clinic, pupils

——-Government has commended Chambishi Copper Smelter (CCS) for its cooperate social responsibility to the community.

Kalulushi Member of Parliament, Rayford Mbulu, sounded the commendations in Chambishi today during the official handover ceremony of staff houses at Lukoshi Rural Health Centre and an ablution block at Lukoshi Primary School by Chambishi Copper Smelter.

Mr Mbulu said the infrastructural development, which cost the company over K250,000, was started by a contractor, GM Contractors sometime in 2004 and was supposed to have been completed two years later.

He said it was unfortunate that the contractor only managed to complete the health centre structure and one staff house, leaving two houses at roof level and vanished from the site.

Mr Mbulu thanked CCS for having taken up the project to complete the two houses and the ablution block.

He hoped that the two houses would now receive additional staff to support the only two nurses working at the health institution and that the children who had been using pit latrines would guard the ablution block jealously.

The law maker also told the people of Kalulushi that government had embarked on the construction of 650 quality health posts and Lukoshi was privileged to have one.

Mr Mbulu, who is also Labour Deputy Minister, said government did not take pleasure in seeing people walking long distances seeking health services as they celebrate 50 years of Zambia’s Independence in 2014.

Speaking earlier, District Medical Officer, Liyungu Sichimba, thanked government, saying the staff houses were incomplete for many years and the situation it made it difficult for his office to send more staff.

Dr Sichimba said her office would now send more medical staff and improve the quality of services being offered at the place.

CCS Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Zhonggin Yu, said the firm would always work with the community in order to develop the place.

And in a vote of thanks, Lukoshi Primary School pupil, Helen Mwanza, thanked CCS for the completion of the ablution block as the learners did not have toilets for a very long time.