Northern Province Minister, Honourable Leonard Mbao, has praised the Zambia National Service (ZNS) as a model of disciplined, results-driven public service and urged civil servants to adopt a similar approach.
The remarks were made during a courtesy call by ZNS Commander, Lieutenant General Engineer Maliti Solochi II, at the Provincial Administration Office in Kasama. Honourable Mbao commended ZNS for its strict adherence to the Presidential directive of delivering quality, timely, and cost-effective services.
“Take a leaf from ZNS. Their work ethic speaks volumes. If we want to meet our development goals, we must also collaborate more with institutions like ZNS,” the Minister said.
Honourable Mbao appealed for ZNS support in addressing stalled infrastructure projects in the province, including the Chambeshi ring road in Mungwi and the urgent reconstruction of a collapsed Acrow bridge connecting Nsama to Kaputa. He highlighted that the bridge’s damage forces the travelling public to take a two-day detour via Luapula Province.
“While our Councils have road construction equipment, we still face a shortage of skilled personnel. I am urging ZNS to step in with your technical expertise,” he said.
The Minister also acknowledged ZNS’ agricultural contributions, particularly ongoing efforts to boost maize production, which directly strengthen food security in the region.
In response, Lieutenant General Solochi reaffirmed ZNS’ commitment to the province’s development agenda, pledging technical and logistical support in line with President Hakainde Hichilema’s directive to take development to every part of the country.
“We are ready to deliver. All we need is positive energy and partnership,” Lt Gen Solochi said. He pledged prompt deployment of technical and logistical resources during key project implementation whenever called upon.
The Commander noted that ZNS is already collaborating with the Road Development Agency on national infrastructure projects and assured provincial leaders that the Service remains aligned with the government’s broader infrastructure objectives.
The engagement underscores the critical role of ZNS in driving infrastructure development, agricultural productivity, and public service delivery in Northern Province.