On infrastructure, tourism and deforestation...

A wide ranging call from Senior Chief Inyambo Yeta on the importance of infrastructure ; the need for more tourism in the area; and, the scourge of deforestation :

Zambia: Chief Lures Investors to Sesheke, By Edward Mulenga, The Times, News Report :

Senior Chief Inyambo Yeta of the Lozi people in Sesheke District has appealed to the Government to direct investors searching for business opportunities to spread development evenly instead of concentrating it along the line of rail. Speaking when Vice-President George Kunda called on him at the weekend, Chief Inyambo said there was potential to do business in Sesheke especially now when the Government had developed infrastructure.

The chief commended President Mwanawasa and his administration for tarring the road to his palace, constructing the road to Katima Mulilo and the bridge across the Zambezi River at Katima Mulilo.

He said since the Government had now started developing infrastructure in the area, investors should also be sent to the area for them to see for themselves the potential that lies there. Chief Inyambo said Sesheke could become the economic hub of the Western Province if more infrastructure was built.

He said Sesheke had for years suffered development stagnation because of the liberation struggle in neighbouring Namibia, which left the area littered with landmines and many schools and clinics abandoned. "After the struggle, the Army moved in to remove the landmines that were planted in most of parts of the district," he said.

On tourism, the chief asked the Government not to restrict the sector promotion to Livingstone alone as Sesheke could also offer profitable tourism ventures, backed by the people's desire to develop the area.

He bemoaned the indiscriminate cutting of trees in the area and asked the Government to intervene before forests were depleted. He said the recovery rate of forests after cutting timber in Zambia was less than 10 per cent, while other countries had about 90 per cent, giving Zambia's timber industry the lowest rating The forest department in Zambia as at now had no capacity to protect forests and appealed to the Government to elevate the department and make it more effective.