Republican President Michael Sata opens the third session of the 11th National Assembly.

Republican President Michael Sata, has officially opened the third session of the 11th National Assembly.
In his address to the national assembly, President Sata outlined a number of government’s policies, aimed at enhancing the country’s social-economic development.
The president said that government is committed to ensuring rural development, through programmes such as rural electrification, education and health services, improved agricultural strategies and road development.
Under the health sector, President Sata said that government is committed to enhancing health services delivery across the country.
Mr. Sata said that this will be done by ensuring that procurement of essential drugs and improvement of infrastructure in health facilities continues.
In agriculture, the president said that government aims at reducing Zambia’s dependency on rain fed agriculture, by promoting irrigation farming across the country and diversification.
He explained that government aims at ensuring that about 17 thousand hectors of Zambia’s land should be under irrigation agriculture by 2016.
The President also explained that government will ensure that the Zambian agricultural sector embraces new technologies.
And the president has directed Minister of Education, Dr. John Phiri to ensure that the quality of education provided in Zambia’s learning institutions is of high standards.
He said that in 2014, government will work towards rolling out information technology to all schools, in an effort to enhance information technology skills among learners.
Mr. Sata also said that government is committed to ensuring that job creation is enhanced in the country, in order to give many Zambians employment opportunities.
President Michael Sata says that Zambia has remained one of the major investment destinations for main foreign investors.
Speaking when he officially opened the third session of the 11th National Assembly in Lusaka this morning, Mr. Sata said that this is evidenced by Zambia exceeding the three billion United States dollars direct investment target for 2013.
Mr. Sata also called for the enhancement of the tourism sector, so that it fully contributes to the country’s economic growth.
Meanwhile, President Sata has reaffirmed his government’s commitment to the respect of the rule of law.
He said that it is in this line that his government will continue to respect the separation of powers among the three arms.
And Mr. Sata says that the fight against corruption remains one of the top priorities on the PF government’s agenda.
He said that government has therefore put in place measures that will enhance the operations of ACC, the Anti-Corruption Commission.
Mr. Sata says that one such measure is the establishment of a special unit within the commission that deals with complex financial matters.