Government says it will fully support the National Bio-Safety Authority (NBA).
And government has assured the authority that it was aware of the many challenges that the research institution was grappling with.
Minister of Green Economy and Environment Mr. Collins Nzovu has said Government under the leadership of President Hakainde Hichilema therefore stands ready to pump in more resources into the institution to allow it operate at full capacity.
Mr. Nzovu was speaking when he conducted a familiarisation tour of the NBA offices in Chilanga district today.
He told the senior Management staff at the institute that his ministry would work round the clock to ensure that the challenges being faced by the institution were addressed as soon as possible.
“We are going to give you more resources to help you operate at a higher level. We will soon constitute a Board that is going to oversee the running and implementation of activities for this institution,” Hon Nzovu said.
And Mr. Nzovu has called upon the research institute to enlighten the general public about their mandate which he has deemed as very important.
He said the NBA was a very important department to his ministry and he was looking forward to working with it very closely and effectively.
He has also warned them against engaging in corruption as that would call for a whip to be cracked on them.
“We have a short mandate and Zambians’ expectations are very high not just on us politicians but you also as civil servants need to deliver,” he said.
He further stressed that President Hichilema had been on record about his desire to ensure zero tolerance on corruption.
Speaking earlier on, NBA Registrar who is also Chief Executive Officer Lackson Tonga said the institution had scored a number of successes despite operating under very difficult challenges.
And in her in presentation, NBA Senior Bio safety Officer Research and Fields Mrs. Mutibo Mushenywa highlighted the need to have fully furnished human resource at the institution which was working with only 14 staff against the required 33 as per the institutions establishment.
