Online Reporter
Judith Phiri
THE commissioning of a council clinic, motorbikes, road equipment and service vehicles in Binga is expected to strengthen service delivery, with Government moving to equip the local authority with infrastructure and resources to better meet the needs of communities.
Speaking at the commissioning ceremony in Binga yesterday, the Minister of Local Government and Public Works, Daniel Garwe, said Government was committed to ensuring that no place is left behind in service delivery.
“I have come to Binga today not merely to hand over assets, but to reaffirm, in the clearest and most unequivocal terms, that this Government sees Binga, hears Binga and is committed to ensuring that Binga is not left behind,” he said.
“For too long, this district, like many of our border and remote rural districts, has borne the weight of geographic isolation, of underinvestment, and of being spoken about rather than invested in.
“Today marks another decisive step in changing that narrative”.
“What we gather to commission today is not a trifling matter. We are commissioning a Council clinic that will bring health services closer to the people of this district. We are commissioning road equipment that will empower this council to open up and maintain roads that have for too long cut off communities from schools, clinics, markets, and each other — particularly during the rainy season when our people in the more remote wards of this district are effectively marooned.”
Minister Garwe said they were also commissioning two service vehicles that will enhance the mobility and responsiveness of council’s technical and administrative staff.
The package includes a vehicle for the council chairperson, so that the elected leadership of the council may traverse the vast and sparsely served district with agility, providing oversight and presence where they are most needed.
“We’re commissioning 32 motorbikes for our councillors, one for every ward, together with four additional operational motorbikes, ensuring that, for the first time in a very long time, every single councillor in Binga will have the means to physically reach every household under their representation,” said the Minister.
