Help grow the economy, Newly appointed Permanent Secretaries challenged by President Hichilema

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Help grow the economy, Newly appointed Permanent Secretaries challenged by President Hichilema
Help grow the economy, Newly appointed Permanent Secretaries challenged by President Hichilema

Africa-Press – Zambia. President Hakainde Hichilema has appointed and sworn in new Permanent Secretaries, Special Assistants to the President and one national coordinator. The President has challenged the newly sworn-in appointees to deal with the issue of debt burden to help grow the country’s economy.

President Hichilema further urged the newly appointees to reign in on government expenditure and public expenditure where he said buying of things are way above the true cost.

“It is you who is going to stop that so these two is in four parts. Fertiliser too much bleeding there. Blood oozing out of that valve. Fuel procurement some of you have been in government for many years and you know what I’m talking about,” he said.

Mr. Hichilema also implored the new senior government officials to work together and resolve the issues of expenditure in infrastructure development. He added that that is what the people of Zambia who voted them in power want so that savings can be created for them and passed on to the education sector for their children.

“General procurement, everything is ten times the price,” he said.

And the Head of State indicated that government is re-looking at tendering processes to correct the wrongs that were being committed in the process that almost destroyed the country and its people.

“Please take the messages straight from here that this is the expectation so always know and implement as you take up your new offices,” he emphasised.

The President further urged newly appointed State House legal advisor, Christopher Mundia to make sure that that tender projects do not take long to get cleared so that revenue is created as well as jobs for the people.

“Legal Advisor, when we have a project on a table we want to clear it in a couple of weeks not months, why? Send it away, let the investment come in, domestic, region, foreign so that we can create an extra job,” the President said.

Mr. Hichilema emphasised that it is important that the newly appointees take their roles with full recognition of the obligations that are placed on them by the people of Zambia.

“We are coming in to work for the people of Zambia. So I wish to draw that linkage so that every day we go to the office, every day we have challenges about issues in the office, we must remember that it is the people that we are saving not ourselves,” he said.

And President Hichilema urged the newly Permanent Secretary for Technical Services in the Ministry of Health, Professor Lackson Kasonka to carefully look into the purchasing of drugs.

“Professor Kasonka how we buy the drugs in that Ministry going forward it will show that we are doing it for the people because otherwise, we would never buy expired drugs. So how did that happen because there were other interests before the people of Zambia and the people of Zambia have great trust in you. That’s why you are coming through as Permanent Secretary having gone through a lot in that Ministry,” the President noted.

President Hichilema said the appointment of Prof. Kasonka gives the country an opportunity now to rewrite how business is done in the ministry. The President said a lot of issues have been tackled which have been bleeding for too long in the country’s administration and the health sector is one of them adding that he believes that the new Permanent Secretary is equal to the task.

“A health nation is a productive nation so we are proud of you,” he said.

And Prof. Kasonka noted in an interview that there is a lot of work to be done in the Ministry of Health to make the nation healthy and grow the economy.

The Permanent Secretary said he has been in administration before and that his appointment will be a continuation but at a higher level with more responsibility than before.

Those sworn in include Joseph Lungu as Special Assistant to the President Policy Compliance, Christopher Mundia Special Assistant to the President Legal Affairs, Margaret Miyoba Permanent Secretary Public Service Management Service Division (PSMD), Ndiwa Mutale Permanent Secretary Parliament Office, Office of the Vice President, Chembo Mvula Permanent Secretary Administration Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and Isabel Lemba Permanent Secretary International Relations, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.

Others are Dickson Matembo Permanent Secretary (PS) Home Affairs and Internal Security, Wisdom Bwalya PS Local Government and Rural Development, Norriana Munenku PS Administration Ministry of Education, Joel Kamoko PS Technical Services Ministry of Education, Brilliant Habeenzu PS Ministry of Technology and Science and Chawe Chuulu PS Commerce Trade and Industry.

The President also swore in Francesca Zyambo PS Ministry of Energy, Mwenya Bwalya PS Legislation and Drafting Ministry of Justice, Miler Mwanakapwe PS Central Province, Bernard Mpundu PS Northern Province, Mighty Mumba PS Luapula Province, Percy Chinayama National Coordinator, Smart Zambia Institute, Dr. Pamela Nakamba Economic Advisor to the President State House and Levy Ngoma as Special Assistant to the President for Political Affairs.

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