Lusaka Province Permanent Secretary, Joe Kalusa, has toured the construction of ablution blocks at the University of Zambia (UNZA) Great East Road Campus and Evelyn Hone College in Lusaka.

Engineer Kalusa is impressed with the scope of works at the two higher learning institutions urging the contractors to finish the projects within the given time frame.

He adds that there is a need to have adequate sanitation facilities in higher learning institutions to meet the growing student population.

“Our students go to shopping malls to help themselves, this is unacceptable and this is why we are constructing the ablution blocks to help ease the pressure,” Eng Kalusa said.

He has since stressed the need to expedite the works for the two projects to ensure that pressure is eased at the two learning institutions.

ZANIS reports that Eng Kalusa also urged engineers to consider coming up with new drawings that will improve both infrastructure and sanitation at UNZA.

“The University of Zambia has old sewer systems and water challenges, the buildings are also not complete, engineers, you can come up with new drawings that will help to redesign and improve this institution,” he said.

And University of Zambia Vice Chancellor, Mundia Muya, said the student population has grown from over 4, 000 to over 30, 000 students.

“The infrastructure here was meant to accommodate over 4,000 students but now we have over 30,000 students. That is where the crisis of the ablution block is coming from,” Prof Muya noted.