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Zambia: Lack of Funds Cripple Science Projects - Nsemukila
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The Times of Zambia (Ndola)
19 March 2008
Posted to the web 19 March 2008
Ndola
SCIENCE, Technology and Vocational Training Permanent Secretary, Buleti Nsemukila told a Parliamentary watchdog committee that lack of funds are hindering science projects among them those that can solve the current load shedding.
Dr Nsemukila said this when he and his team appeared before a committee on Education, Science and Technology chaired by Matero Patriotic Front (PF) member of Parliament (MP) Faustina Sinyangwe.
Dr Nsemukila said that his ministry was working on the research agenda, which among others would help commercialise research findings, which were community tailored.
He cited the windmill under development for two years at National Institute for Scientific and Industrial Research (NISIR), as one invention, which would help once funded to address the problem of power shortages.
Dr Nsemukila said that the windmill could help pump water at the same time light up many of the constituencies once it was sold to the people.
He expressed hope that once the windmill was operationalised, it could be very easy to convince the communities that had resorted to charcoal in a long run posing danger to climate change where deforestation would be a feature after trees had been cut.
Dr Nsemukila said the only way to avoid that was to fund his ministry adequately so that more research could be undertaken.
But Mrs Sinyangwe and Mapatizya MP, Ackson Sejani (UPND) wanted to know what the ministry was doing to market itself in a quest to win public support in selling science projects and what challenges the ministry was facing in doing so.
In a follow up question, Nchanga MP Wilbur Simuusa (PF) wanted to know what was being done to the current 1996 science and technology policy in line with achieving science and technology objectives in the fifth National Development Plan (FNDP) and 2030 Vision.
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And Mazabuka Central MP Gary Nkombo wondered why the ministry was not laying a foundation at primary to tertiary level if science and technology was important as Dr Nsemukila was emphasising.
In response, Dr Nsemukila said the only way to address many challenges was to review the current national policy and formulate a monitoring and evaluation mechanism on the implementation of the policy.
However, was quick to mention that in the last five years,the Government invested more than K10 billion in rehabilitating and re-equipping laboratories across the country.
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