UNZA LECTURER ATTRIBUTES ILLEGAL SETTLEMENTS TO RURAL-URBAN DRIFT RURAL to urban migration is an unnecessary venture that causes overcrowding and strain on resources in urban areas, says UNZA lecturer Youngson Ndawana. And Ndawana says the current rural development programmes that the government has embarked on would help curb rural to urban migration. Ndawana, a Communication for Development lecturer, said rural to urban migration was the main cause of illegal settlements in Zambia. “Most people have a misconception that the grass is greener on this end, but this is wrong. What happens is that most of these people end up being poorer and suffering more. They settle in Kanyama and various illegal settlements, and end up fighting for little resources to survive,” Ndawana said. He said most individuals involved in rural to urban migration ended up homeless and jobless. He said rural-urban migration strained resources and raises poverty levels in urban areas. “Just as it is now because of more people moving into urban areas the little resources in the urban areas are being strained. For example, in Chawama there is a clinic but the population there has grown so much that it cannot sustain the people there,” he said. Ndawana commended the government for various infrastructure developments it had embarked on in the country. “I have had the privilege of moving with the National Assembly in eight provinces and I must say the development is remarkable and this can help stop the overcrowding in urban areas and also curb poverty,” he said. He said improving the conditions in rural areas would not only alleviate poverty but would ease the strain on resources in urban areas. Ndawana, however, lamented that most Zambian contractors were slowing down the pace of development in the rural areas. “There is need to speed up the process and intensify rural development programmes. However, I have noted that government has the right desire but contractors are delaying the process and in most cases it is Zambian contractors. Most of the sites that have been abandoned, our check found that it was a Zambian contractor involved,” Ndawana said. He added that the government needed to engage communities in the various developments that they engaged in. “If the local people are involved in the developmental projects, we are going to have sustainable projects that will stand the test of time,” said Ndawana. STORY ON PAGE 3 OF TODAY’S EDITION OF THE POST
Posted on: Tue, 12 Aug 2014 06:43:35 +0000