PRESS RELEASES

Ministry of Lands Launches New Web Site and Training Center

Lusaka
June 4, 2007

LUSAKA — Today the Ministry of Lands announced it has taken three important steps to improve Ministry operations:  the creation of a “Core Values Statement” to which employees commit, the opening of a new computer training center and the launching of a web site.  Minister of Lands Honorable Bradford Machila led the ceremony, which was also attended by visiting U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, Carol Thompson, and United States Ambassador to Zambia, Carmen Martinez.

Minister Machila introduced a Core Values Statement for Ministry employees, which will form the basis of a Ministry Code of Ethics in the near future.  Speaking at the launch, he described the core values and the web site as “critical tools in the Ministry’s campaign to promote its services and build transparency.”   Ms. Thompson stated that “providing access to information is a critical component of good governance,” adding that “the web site builds transparency and encourages investment.  These two objectives are central to what the Zambian Government is trying to achieve under Zambia’s Millennium Challenge Account (MCA) Threshold Program,” she said.

The web site will make it possible for the public to access Ministry of Lands forms and information online, an important first step in the Ministry’s efforts to improve public outreach.  The public can now access information about the Ministry, including the new Draft Land Policy.  Information relating to the Ministry’s ongoing efforts to reduce corruption as part of the Anti-Corruption Commission’s integrity committee initiative is also available.  Minister Machila urged the public to visit the site (www.ministryoflands.gov.zm) to learn about the services and processes required for land transactions.  The creation of the web site is part of a larger effort to integrate and streamline government services in Zambia, aiming to save taxpayers’ time and money and limit opportunities for corruption.

The computer training center will support the Ministry’s efforts to introduce more transparent and streamlined processes.  Under the Threshold Program, the Ministry is re-engineering and automating land registration and transaction processes, with a goal to reduce the time required for the public to register property.  The new computer training center will ensure a smooth transition to the automated land titling and deed processes set to be introduced later this year.  Ministry employees will gain the skills required to operate and maintain these automated systems, including the web site.

The MCA Zambia Threshold Program is funded through a $22.7 million grant agreement between the Government of Zambia, the Millennium Challenge Corporation, and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).  The project is designed to assist the government to prevent corruption in targeted institutions, improve public sector service delivery, and improve border management.

For more information, contact Sidney Watae, Millennium Challenge Account Threshold Program, USAID/Zambia, Tel: 254303/6, Fax: 254532. # # #