Government departments in Eastern Province struggling to offer optimum public services due to limited funds.

Government departments in Eastern Province are struggling to offer optimum public services due to limited funds.
Provincial Veterinary Officer, Arthur Mumbolomena, says that the veterinary department in the province, only received 19.7 per cent of over the 8, 482, 900 Kwacha,in the 2013 budgetary allocation.
Dr. Mumbolomena says that due to the limited funds, all districts in the province received less than half of what was allocated.
He was speaking on a budget tracking programme on Breeze FM this morning.
And one of the callers, Ganizani Banda from Mtenguleni, wondered why veterinary officers solicit for money to cover fuel costs, before going into communities to vaccinate cows.
District Veterinary Officer, Chrisborn Mubamba, explained that sometimes, the money given to the veterinary officers is not enough to adequately cover fuel costs.
However, Dr. Mubamba says that livestock production in the province has increased, with Chipata leading in cattle production with over 77 000 herds.