LOCAL authorities will continue to charge licence fees for trading and health certificates, Minister of Local Government Charles Banda has said. Dr Banda said some organisations are of the view that councils stop collecting the fees to protect businesses from folding in the wake of coronavirus. He said local authorities cannot suspend licensing because of coronavirus, the disease he described as a passing phase. “Those licences will stay, we cannot stop licensing.
What happens if we stop licensing and things get back on track? Are we going to reintroduce them again?” he asked. Dr Banda was speaking when he paid a courtesy call on Kitwe Mayor Christopher Kang’ombe. And the Local Government Service Commission has been instructed to recruit more health inspectors in councils where there is need. Dr Banda will, however, engage the Ministry of Health on how best it can work with local authorities to increase surveillance and screening for coronavirus.
The minister is happy with the high level of compliance among residents of Chingola to measures aimed at preventing the further spread of COVID-19. Dr Banda said in Chingola and Mufulira, there is 98 percent compliance to wearing of masks. Earlier, Mr Kang’ombe said the district is determined to ensure measures to combat the disease are adhered to.
He said the challenge Kitwe is facing is that of waste generated in 26 markets. Mr Kang’ombe said the disposal of waste remains the greatest challenge facing the city. “We generate a lot of waste and some of this waste finds itself on the roads,” Mr Kang’ombe said. The civic leader said the local authority also has limited equipment to collect garbage in residential and public places. He said the council plans to open a dry port, but limited workforce is another hurdle. Mr Kang’ombe said the local authority’s wage bill cannot sustain the recruitment of more health inspectors.