DMMU to set up national disaster fund - Chalikosa

By MUKOSELA KASALWE PARLIAMENT yesterday heard that the Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit (DMMU) intends to set up a national disaster fund whose aim will be to respond to natural calamities quickly.

Minister in the Office of the Vice President Sylvia Chalikosa said in a ministerial statement on the roles and operations of the DMMU that it was considering coming up with a national disaster fund.

She said the DMMU desired to become a member of the Africa Risk Capacity so that some of its activities could be insured.

Ms Chalikosa said this in response to a question by Sesheke UPND MP Frank Kufakwandi who wanted to find out if the DMMU had plans to decentralise resources at provincial level so that disasters could be quickly responded to.

Mr Kufakwandi said that it has taken more than three years for the DMMU to respond to some of the schools whose roofs were blown off in his constituency.

“As I have said earlier, the unit is also dependent on the Treasury. It is just that funds are usually released quickly due to the nature of the office. Madam Speaker, yes there is a proposal to come up with a national disaster fund,” she said.

Ms Chalikosa said one of the functions of DMMU was to maintain a data collection and dissemination system and national strategic reserves of essential commodities and equipment for immediate disaster relief. PF Kabwe Central MP Tutwa Ngulube wondered whether it was procedure for the provincial DMMU officers to always seek permission from the Lusaka office for them to respond to calamities within their vicinity.

Ms Chalikosa said it was not always procedure and urged the MP to get a copy of the laid down procedures so that he could know how to go about it.

UPND Mongu Central MP Mwilola Imakando urged the minister to set up regional disaster funds so that calamities could be quickly tackled.

Meanwhile, Transport and Communications Minister Brian Mushimba told the House in a ministerial statement that the construction of mobile communication towers phase two project would cover the construction of 1, 009 sites across Zambia which would see the upgrade of the current transmission and Radio Access Network and other ICT facilities under Zamtel at a value of US$280 million.

Mr Mushimba said the project was important to plans to revamp Zamtel by the Government.

He said the project would ensure that Zamtel has a competitive advantage over its competitors in the mobile sector with the largest communication network.

The minister expressed confidence that the project would improve mobile communication coverage across the country which would also lead to improved provision of Government services through e-commerce, Tele-medicine, empower farmers with access to market information.