State Tackles Poverty

from All Africa

The Times of Zambia (Ndola)

NEWS
12 July 2007
Posted to the web 12 July 2007

GOVERNMENT is addressing issues of poverty through the Fifth National Development Plan (FNDP) and the Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP), President Mwanawasa has said.

Mr Mwanawasa said the Government was determined to ensure economic development in the country through increased economic activities.

He was speaking when he laid a Foundation stone at the SOS Children's Village of Zambia in Livingstone yesterday.

He said that corruption and selfishness were reducing the effectiveness of the Government's efforts to develop the country.

"I would, however, like to state that anybody found engaging in corrupt and selfish activities will account for their actions or misdeeds," Mr Mwanawasa said.

He said he was looking forward to the day when people could easily get good jobs after completing school.

"I want that era to come back," Mr Mwanawasa said.

He commended SOS Children's Village for addressing the plight of children and vulnerable people.

"About 180 children will benefit from this SOS Children's Village and the outreach programme will cater for over 1,500 individuals on polar communities of Livingstone," Mr Mwanawasa said.

Mr Mwanawasa said increased levels of poverty in Zambia were largely due to reduced economic activity in the country. The President also attributed the high levels of poverty in Zambia to mismanagement of the economy, selfishness and corruption.

He, however, said that the MMD Government was doing everything possible to stir up economic activities and assist stimulate economic growth.

He bemoaned the fact that poverty and disease had led to the breakup of the extended family, hence leading to problems among children in Zambia."Because of poverty, disease and HIV and AIDS, many young people are dying, leaving children who are still in need of parental care, and the extended family has broken down.

"This is unacceptable. We need to do everything possible to make sure that we secure a better environment for our growing children," Mr Mwanawasa said.

It was shameful that instead of tendering children, their lives were full of misery.

Mr Mwanawasa also commended the SOS Children's Village Trust for supporting vulnerable children and households in Zambia.

"We must prepare a safe future which will ensure the existence of your businesses. Take measures which will help young people gain sufficient education and employment," Mr Mwanawasa said.

He said that only when there was academic peace could Zambia be assured that business would prosper.

"We thank the organisations from Austria and Norway which have supported the building of an SOS Children's Village in Livingstone. We also thank God Almighty who allowed these people to come to Zambia because without his intervention, all would have been a nullity," Mr Mwanawasa said.

SOS Children's Village of Zambia Trust patron, John Mwanakatwe, bemoaned the high number of street children in Zambia.

"With the fundamental breakdown of the extended family, children have been left to live in the streets while others have become heads of families. Each child must be protected to enjoy a sense of family," Mr Mwanakatwe said in a speech filled with emotion.

There was need, he said, to remove the children from the streets and take them to Zambia National Service camps for them to learn various skills.

Mr Mwanakatwe said that the SOS Children's Village would remain committed to addressing the problem of children in Zambia, and urged the Government to enable it access the K30 billion budgeted for the youths in this year's Budget.

Earlier, Southern Province Minister, Joseph Mulyata, bemoaned the effects of HIV/AIDS, saying it had led to the increase of orphaned children.

"These orphans miss out on normal family care, and hence their development is bad," Mr Mulyata said.

He said the construction of the SOS Village in the area would, however, sort out the problems faced by orphans and other vulnerable children, as well as households.