President Edgar Lungu has told newly appointed Permanent Secretaries in the Ministries of National Development Planning, Labour and Social Security as well as Western Province PS in charge of administration that Zambians expect a lot from them.

Speaking during a swearing-in ceremony at State House, Thursday, President Lungu congratulated the trio on their promotions and reminded them that the people of Zambia had high expectations.

“I would like to congratulate you all on your respective appointments as Permanent Secretaries. Let me now address you individually. Mr Danies Kawama Chisenda, Permanent secretary – Ministry of National Development Planning, I am confident that with your wealth of experience in the public service which spans over 30 years, you will make valuable contributions to the implementation of the country’s Seventh National Development Plan (7NDP) and vision 2030. Your career in the public service started when you joined as a clerk, and you took personal initiative to develop yourself professionally to the level of becoming an economist. You rose through the ranks to the position of director (budget) at the Ministry of Finance, and later Director General, at the Zambia Public Procurement Authority (ZPPA). I am hopeful that you will exercise professionalism in your position as permanent secretary,” President Lungu said.

And to newly appointed Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Labour and Social Security Chanda Kaziya, the President said he no doubt that the appointee would deliver, having worked in the labour sector before.

“There is no doubt that your expertise in labour matters will help in addressing labour issues which continue to confront our people. Therefore, I am convinced that your promotion to the position of Permanent Secretary gives you much more leverage to ensure that contentious labour matters are resolved. While working at the ministry of labour and social security, you have exhibited distinguished service as a labour expert, hence a lot is expected from you,” the President said.

President Lungu also said he was confident that Daniel Bukali would also deliver in his new post.

“I am certain that your vast experience in development matters having worked for a non governmental organisation, and later joining the public sector will enable you to effectively foster development programmes in line with our seventh national development plan and vision 2030. I am hopeful that you will work to the expectations of our people. Once again, congratulations for your well deserved promotions. The people of zambia expect so much from you, and i have no doubt that you will deliver. God bless you as you take up your new appointments,” said President Lungu.

Meanwhile, speaking to journalists after the swearing in ceremony at State House, Bukali said he would not condone misuse of public resources under his administration.

“The money that we use as controlling officers is tax payer’s money, it is for the Zambian people. I will not take kindly anyone who misuses that money because that money is given to improve our health sector, education sector and to improve agriculture. Now when we have officers that want to misuse that money, I don’t think it is alright because the people that suffer are the people out there who were intended beneficiaries. So we would like to ensure that for every penny that is given to our Province, we would like toe sure that it is utilised for the intended purpose,” said Bukali.

Kaziya also said he would collaborate with all the workers’ unions and employers in his new role.

“I want to first of all thank the President for appointing me to this position and I thing it’s important that we work around a lot of other pending issues in labour relations, most especially strengthening our social dialogue structure and also to work with the trade unions and employers to address most of the issues that we’ve been going through,” said Kaziya.

And Chisenda promised to do his very best.

“The ministry in question is not strange to me, the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry National Planning where one ministry and a number of my colleagues were there at the Ministry of Finance, so that will make my work even easier. So I will just pick this assignment up from where my predecessor left so that I can contribute positively so that the ministry can play its role in ensuring that national development planning is implemented and the vision is achieved. So I am really humbled by this appointment and I will do my level best to contribute to the progress of the ministry,” said Chisenda.