By Isaac Zulu
Former Luapula Province permanent secretary Major Ben Phiri has lauded President Hakainde Hichilema for abolishing the Ministry of Religious Affairs, as most economically immoral occurrences characterised the PF administration.
In a statement availed to the Daily Revelation, Maj Phiri did not serve any meaningful purpose, pointing out that had the Ministry of National Guidance and Religious Affairs played its role; the multiple cases of blatant pillaging of public resources would have been kept in check.
Maj Phiri noted that national guidance per se has everything to do with upholding high moral standards within the ambit of ethics and integrity.
“President Hakainde Hichilema ought to be lauded for scrapping the National Guidance and Religious Affairs Ministry. in all honesty, the Religious Affairs Ministry served no meaningful purpose at all as a lot of economically immoral occurrences characterised the Paya Farmer [PF] administration in the last seven years of gross mismanagement of national affairs,” stated Maj Phiri. “Under normal circumstances, had the ‘National Misguidance’ Ministry played its role, the multiple cases of of blatant pillaging of resources would have been kept in check in a sense that national guidance per se has everything to do with upholding high moral standards within the ambit of ethics and integrity.”
He said that there was no integrity in procuring and supplying expired drugs and condoms to the general citizenry as well procuring fire tenders at an astronomical price; while majority Zambians were unable to access basic needs.
“Where is the integrity in supplying expired drugs and condoms to your citizens? Where is the integrity in procuring moribund second hand fire tenders at an astronomical price of US$1 million each when most schools in rural areas are devoid of the requisite infrastructure like classrooms not to mention desks? Where is the integrity in inflating the construction of a toll gate when when citizens are unable to access clean drinking water in most parts of Zambia?” queried Maj Phiri. “The disbanded Ministry should have been raising the red flag immediately it became apparent that unenviable plunder or resources for personal gain was in the offing but it did none of that. That’s why I feel President Hichilema took the right decision to do away with the Ministry of “Misguidance and Religious Affairs because it never lived up to the expectations of the citizens of Zambia.”
And Maj Phiri has commended President Hichilema for adding the function of Rural Development to the Ministry of Local Government; stating the portfolio is expected to rigorously and speedily remedy the infrastructural challenges, particularly in rural areas.
“It is not a dispute that the disparity between urban and rural areas of the country is very wide and showed no signs of being bridged under Mr Lungu’s seven years tenure. The Rural Development portfolio is expected to rigorously and speedily remedy some of the challenges especially impassable roads in remote parts of the country, which will obviously act as a stimulant to the desirable resuscitation of industrial activities in rural areas,” observed Maj Phiri. “Places like Pendwe in Chief Msoro’s area in Mambwe district has huge deposits of lime [which is] a critical requisite in the manufacturing of cement but the major limitation is the dilapidated road infrastructure.”
Maj Phiri added that one indicator to show that the UPND government is on the right developmental trajectory is the commitment exhibited by President Hichilema that there will be zero tolerance to corruption.
