
Chiefs and Traditional Affairs Minister Nkandu Luo says time has come for the ruling Patriotic Front to implement its campaign promises.
Addressing a royal council meeting in Macha chiefdom in Choma yesterday, Professor Luo said the PF has an obligation to deliver development to the people of Zambia as it promised them during the campaign period.
Prof Luo said poverty levels still remain high in the country hence the need for government to quickly address the situation as part of its fulfillment of the campaign promises.
The minister pointed out that the PF will in its remaining four years work on reducing the poverty levels as wells as uplifting the living standard of people.
Prof Luo explained that her ministry will work closely with chiefs in its quest to meet people‘s aspirations.
She added that government has identified the need to engage the traditional leadership in its fight against the high levels of poverty people have been subjected to in the past 20 years of the former regime because they are not voted like politicians.
The minister said traditional leadership does not change even if there is change of government hence the reason for any ruling party to recognize and work with it.
Prof Luo disclosed that government will next year set up seed certification in all chiefdoms involved in farming so as to increase accessibility of inputs to all potential farmers.
She said the idea is meant to reduce poverty by empowering chiefdoms through agriculture and as well as agro processing equipment that can be used to store and dry caterpillars as well as mushroom for export.
Prof Luo further urged people to identify projects that they can manage in their chiefdoms in order to improve their lives through exporting such products outside the country.
However the minister said issues of HIV/AIDS in the country have continued hindering people from being productive.
She said the PF government will strive hard to ensure that it helps its people to be productive as way of fighting poverty.
Meanwhile Chief Macha has called for concerted efforts among his subjects in the fight against poverty.
He said development is based on how much knowledge one has hence the need for government to adequately inform its citizens on all development programmes.
The chief cited water blues as among many other challenges his chiefdom is faced with that needs urgent government attention.
ZANIS