Categories: Business

Govt commits to improve water, sanitation

Water Development, Sanitation and Environmental Protection Minister Dennis Wanchinga says President Edgar Lungu is building a strong legacy towards improving water and sanitation.

Dr. Wanchinga says the national budget has risen from nine hundred and eighty six Million Kwacha in 2018 to one point nine Billion Kwacha in 2019 on water and sanitation representing an increase of ninety three percent amounting to nine hundred ninety four Million Kwacha increase.

The Cabinet Minister says progress is being achieved in Zambia following President Lungu’s decision to create a Ministry specifically for water and sanitation.

He also says donor support from development partners has continued to rise in support of water, sanitation and environmental protection, from partners such as Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA), GIZ of German, European Investment Bank (EIB), World Bank, UNICEF, Global Environment Facility (GEF), Africa Development Bank (ADB), United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), Japanese International Cooperation Agency -JICA, German through KFW and US Government through Millennium Challenge Account -MCA.

Dr. WANCHINGA says Government is stepping up efforts because national access to basic sanitation coverage for Zambia stands at thirty one percent as of 2017 while national access to clean and safe drinking water now stands at sixteen percent according to Joint Monitoring Programme for 2017 figures.

Dr. Wanchinga was speaking in an interview after attending the Mahatma Gandhi International Sanitation Convention in New Delhi which was inaugurated by the President of India, Shri Ram Nath Kovind.

He says India as of 2014 had sanitation coverage of about 39 percent but has made progress in four years to about 93 percent as of 2018 statistics.

The Cabinet Minister has praised India which is targeting to reach 100 percent open defecation free status by October 2019.

He says the Zambian Government has put in place several interventions such as the Open Defecation Free Strategy 2018 to 2030, National Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Program 2018 to 2030, National Urban Water Supply and Sanitation Programme 2011 to 2030 and the Water Supply, Sanitation and Solid Waste Management Policy Development.

Meanwhile, Zambia’s High Commissioner to India Judith Kapijimpanga says Zambia should take advantage of drawing lessons from India’s aggressive approach especially that it is willing to share a template for other countries to draw lessons from them in the area of water and sanitation.

Mrs. Kapijimpanga says she is happy to note that Zambia is making efforts by not only focusing on infrastructure development alone but promoting a paradigm shift in behavioral change among citizens through the implementation of Community Led Total Sanitation (CLTS).

The High Commissioner says there is also need to promote the use of affective but affordable sanitation technologies.

Mrs. Kapijimpanga says the private sector should also be encouraged to partner with Government to ensure recycling of solid waste to ensure a garbage free Zambia.

This is contained in a statement made available by First Secretary Press and Tourism at the Zambian Mission in New Delhi, India, Bangwe Naviley.

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