By Inutu Mwanza in Ethiopia
Government says introduction of the Borehole levy will regulate unprofessional drillers who cheat on their clients.
Minister of Water, Environment and Sanitation Dennis Wanchinga said the borehole levy will reduce cheating and unprofessionalism in the drilling industry.
The Minister said his Ministry was in receipt of several complaints from residents over poorly done work by drillers that have in many instances resulted in collapsing of boreholes after a short period of time.
‘’We shall not allow Zambians to continuously lose colossal sums of money to drillers over their unsatisfactory work. Time has come for drillers to ensure that they stick to laid down procedures of drilling boreholes,” he said.
Dr Wachinga expressed concern that some people wanted to gain political mileage by inciting Zambians to rise against government over the recently approved levy.
He was speaking in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia when he transited to India to attend a Sanitation Conference at the invitation of the Indian government.
And Dr Wanchinga said Zambia has heightened its preparedness to curb the recurrence of Cholera and other diarrheal diseases this year.
He said government has put in place mechanisms to ensure that Cholera does not become a perennial disease in Zambia.
He said government will ensure that it provides water through bulzers in areas where there are shallow wells in order to discourage people from taking contaminated water.
Dr Wanchinga also said the program of eliminating the use of pit latrines was one that could help increase sanitation levels in the country.
‘’It’s unfortunate that most pit latrines are built near boreholes and wells, hence government’s plan of burying shallow wells and providing clean water.
He further revealed that the country’s National Access to Sanitation stands at 39 percent.
Dr Wanchinga said Zambia has a lot to learn from India with National Access to Sanitation standing at 88 per cent.
He was received at Bole International Airport by Zambia’s Ambassador to Ethiopia, her Excellency, Ms Susan Sikaneta who commended government’s efforts in improving access to water and sanitation.
The writer is the First Secretary for Press and Tourism at the Zambia Embassy in Ethiopia.
