Government has engaged the Zambia National Service (ZNS) to construct modern sanitation facilities at the University of Zambia (UNZA) and Evelyn Hone College at a cost of K8.5 million.
The initiative comes after the Republican President and Commander-in-Chief of the Defence Force, Mr Hakainde Hichilema undertook a fact finding mission to the University of Zambia Great East campus and other Learning Institutions last year to appreciate the sanitation challenges faced.
Speaking at the ground-breaking ceremony in Lusaka yesterday, the Minister of Water Development and Sanitation, Honourable Mike Mposha said the construction of four additional ablution blocks represents a significant step towards promoting health and dignity.
Hon Mposha who is also Munali Member of Parliament, highlighted that once constructed, the facilities will not only enhance the overall campus experience but also contribute to academic success and personal well-being of students and staff.
Hon Mposha acknowledged that access to clean and safe sanitation facilities is a basic human right, yet it was a reality denied ‘to far too many individuals’, particularly in educational institutions.
The Minister indicated that ZNS was strategically identified to implement the project on a contractual period of six months which he directed to be reduced to three months.
He was confident that the Institution will complete the project within the stipulated time frame and expected standards.
Speaking at the same event, the Minister of Education Hon Douglas Siakalima said Government was investing in enhanced sanitation facilities to ensure hygiene in higher learning Institutions.
The Minister was confident that the construction of the said facilities will also mitigate the outbreak of waterborne related diseases such as cholera that may disrupts learning processes.
And the ZNS Commander, Lieutenant General Maliti Solochi is proud that the reconstituted Builders Brigade has been entrusted with the project.
Speaking in a speech read for him by Builder’s Brigade Commander Brigadier General Isaac Haminwe, the ZNS Commander assured quality works which will meet the expectation of Government.
“The nation may take note that the Service is not new on the construction scene as the Institution has previously participated in major projects such as the construction of the Tanzania-Zambia railway line, alongside the Chinese contractor,” Lt Gen Solochi said.
He revealed that the Service has re-organised, equipment and staffed the Construction Wing with better qualified building engineers.
The ZNS Commander appealed to both the public and private sectors to consider ZNS Builders Brigade as their infrastructure developer of choice assuring guaranteed solid, cost-effective and modern structures.
Share
8 COMMENTS
Comments are closed.
Read more
Meetings for justing building toilets its unbelievable
To you it is nothing because you are used to use the bush. To the students who are the leaders of tomorrow is something.
This looks like an endorsement of the overcrowding at UNZA. Why don’t you first fix the current facilities that are broken and then deal with congestion? Why should 6 or more students be allowed to reside in a room meant for 2? And why should it take a visit by the President to take action? The Senate and UNZASU understand their problems and not a person that doesn’t stay at the institution. You’ll end up creating another problem
Ayatollah, your observation is on point. We are not addressing the issue that lead to decline in sanitation facilities. Such interventions are only perpetuating the University becoming a slum. UNZA should also consider discontinuing some courses in which people spend 4 years of study with no hope of employment or even entrepreneurship
This is HH doing exactly what he was elected to do. He’s absolutely hands-on and this is tremendous.
As far as I’m concerned this is a temporary solution and in the long run its bound to fail. Like some are pointing out, fix the root problems. I fail to understand how a progressive university would fail to exploit its initiatives, in other words, skills, to solve its problems. One can see Zambia’s negative attitudes of dependency on government in institutions like UNZA.
Why doesn’t the university initiate curricula around its problems? That is: train students in architecture, its maintenance and administration, public health etc and leave these students to tackle such problems within their academic pursuit? ZNS can be contracted by the students (with the help of government of course) to construct whatever the students need. Maintenance will be administered, as part of their curricula, by students who are at various stages of their degrees. Thus as students grow in their academics the university benefits. Right now in this venture government is putting the ZNS cart before the horse.
Someone reading my post from Russia just phoned me for further elaboration: Why I’m asking the university to initiate curricula around its problems is because those problems are paralleled in many social infrastructure in the country. So a student would graduate with the experience of resolving them at UNZA.