Government praised for increasing DSIP funds

By LUKE KAMA
THE increase in the services improvement programme funds by the Government has resulted in interventions which had changed people’s lives in the past four years, an official says.
Chief executive officer of the Jimi district development authority in Jiwaka Mathew Kuraiwe told the Leaders’ Summit that the Government had done the right thing.
“I commend the Government for directly funding K10 million into districts annually through the district services improvement programme (DSIP) funds,” he said.
“Injecting funding into the districts has done so much and I believe Jimi is one example of this.”
He said previously, people had not seen roads and at times, had to use spades and tools to maintain the few existing roads.
“That has been the scenario in the past,” Kuraiwe said.
“But now, it’s completely different.
“We have used K5 million from our DSIP funds to purchase plant equipment and machines and they are constructing new roads and creating new links to people who have been without roads. New bridges are constructed and existing roads are maintained and upgraded to reasonable conditions.”
Kuraiwe said new school and health infrastructure were built because more money was made available.
“We have built aid posts, health centres, classrooms, bridges, provide funding for small to medium enterprises to empower our locals,” he said.
“We also provide school fee subsidies for our school children right from primary, high schools to tertiary institutions.”