3 November 2009
CENTRAL Province Permanent Secretary Denny Lumbama has challenged the media to educate the masses on the Decentralisation Policy, which is under implementation.
Officiating at a four-day training workshop for community radio stations and civil society organisations in Kabwe yesterday, Mr Lumbama said the implementation of the policy had reached a critical stage that required publicity.
He said while civil society organisations continued to hold the important watchdog role, they were equally important partners to the implementation of the decentralisation policy.
"In the same vein, community radio stations are a critical partner in decentralisation implementation because of their strategic position in society, especially their close interaction with communities," Mr Lumbama said.
He said the implementation of the policy had reached an advanced stage, which required all stakeholders to understand the implication of the document, and that the media were well placed to sensitise the community.
"As media and civil society organisations, you have a very critical role to play in the sense that you provide important checks and balances in the implementation of Government programmes.
"You are also very important vehicles through which messages on decentralisation can get to the lowest levels of our community," Mr Lumbama noted.
Assistant director at the Decentralisation Secretariat Coreen Madondo said the workshop was aimed at equipping journalists with information on decentralisation to convey to people at grassroots.
Ms Madondo said several stakeholders had already been sensitised through workshops but the challenge still remained with engaging people at grassroots, hence the need to engage the media.
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