Ministry of Lands has decried continued inadequate funding to the ministry which has resulted into accumulation of K10.4 billion rental arrears.

Speaking during an interface meeting with the Parliamentary Cluster on Transport and Public Infrastructure, Principal Secretary in the Ministry Bernard Sande said failure by the Ministry to pay rentals has resulted into K10.4 billion arrears.

“The issue of arrears is matter of serious concern to government in general and the Ministry of Lands in particular what has been happening over the years is that each year the funding has been less than the budgetary provision and arrears to this day are accumulated to K10.4 billion,” said Sande.

According to Sande, the Ministry has been receiving inadequate funding which is not enough to settle the arrears.

“If you look at the accumulation of K10.4 billion over the years, the ceiling of the budget for this year is shy by K3 billion what it means is that we are already talking about K13.4 billion arrears alone,” highlighted Sande.

And on his part, the Cluster`s Chairperson Robert Mwina said it is unfortunate to note that the Ministry is in such huge debts and has since called upon the Ministry to work out on income generating investments.

“Our understanding and our agreement was were going to ask Parliament to approve those arrears on understanding that the Ministry now will start looking at ways of trying to invest in its own infrastructure.

As a Ministry they have got a chance that they can construct their own houses, have them rented and generate their own income,” understood Mwina.