156 AMBULANCES NOT DELIVERED, PS NICHOLAS PHIRI BREAKS RESIGNATION PLEDGE, CITES LOGISTICAL CHALLENGES
The Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development has failed to deliver on its high-profile promise to roll out 156 ambulances by May 31, 2025 a commitment that Permanent Secretary for Technical Services, Nicholas Phiri, had dramatically tied to his own resignation.
At a press briefing held Thursday morning,Mr Phiri says that the vehicles will not be delivered as scheduled, blaming what he described as “unexpected logistical challenges” in the shipping processes.
The PS who last year publicly declared he would resign if the ambulances were not in the country by the end of May, has now reversed course.
When pressed by journalists about his earlier commitment, he firmly refused to resign, saying his focus is now on ensuring the ambulances arrive by a revised target of August 2025.
The delay has sparked criticism from civil society groups and opposition politicians, the 156 ambulances were part of a widely publicized initiative to improve emergency medical response services across the country, particularly in all the 156 constituencies and so far only 47 have been delivered.
By Victoria Kayeye Yambani
