From BUTTYSON KANDIMBA in Zambezi
GOVERNMENT has threatened to dismiss civil servants executing their duties with double standards due to political inclinations.
Deputy Minister in the Office of the Vice-President Davies Mwango says Government will not take kindly to civil servants derailing programmes aimed at uplifting the lives of people, especially those in remote areas.
Mr Mwango said Government has noted with sadness the negative attitude towards work by civil servants and their failure to deliver to people’s expectations and those of the government.
“Civil servants’ performance is below par and you civil servants are failing us as government although it is not all of you as some of you are dedicated while many of you, maybe it is because of political inclinations.
“If that is the case you must resign and meet us on the political scene,” he said.
Mr Mwango said this when he addressed civil servants in the Zambezi council chamber on Friday.
This was after winding up his tour of disaster-prone areas and projects being funded by the Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit (DMMU) in North-Western Province.
Mr Mwango said it is disheartening to note that civil servants, who are the technocrats and drivers of development, are not performing to both the expectations of the government and the people of Zambia despite government’s commitment to improve their conditions of service.
He said civil servants are a best vehicle to implement government programmes and urged them to familiarise themselves with the Patriotic Front (PF) manifesto so that they move in tandem.
Mr Mwango said the PF government is determined to develop the country, especially rural areas, through the construction of schools and health centres so that these services are within reach in communities.
“Government has concentrated on the construction of schools in rural areas but it is sad that a school in Zambezi West, Kayenge Primary, which I visited, is still not open and teachers are not there,” he said.
Mr Mwango wondered why the district education board secretary’s office and the district commissioner had no report on why the school had not opened.
He also expressed disappointment with his findings at Nyantanda clinic in Chavuma where he found a watchman administering drugs to patients as the clinical officer has left the clinic and his whereabouts are not known.
And speaking earlier when he addressed heads of government departments in the district commissioner’s office, Mr Mwango urged them to be serious with their supervisory role-saying it has become easy for members of the public to report any supervisor not performing in the district to President Sata through his social media Facebook page.
He said President Sata has deliberately decided to open a Facebook account to enable him interact with people across the country.
155 total views, 4 views today