Chief Lundu of the Senga people in Chama District in Muchinga Province has commended President Hakainde Hichilema for what he described as eloquent, powerful and encompassing speech delivered at the 76th United Nations (UN) General Assembly.
And Chief Lundu has commended President Hichilema for the creation of Ministry of Green Economy saying this is central to increasing decent employment opportunities, enhanced resource and labour productivity by fostering poverty eradication and creating social inclusion in rural areas like Chama District.
Chief Lundu has told the Zambia News and Information Services (ZANIS) in an exclusive interview at his palace today that President Hichilema speech at the 2021 UN General Assembly has not only changed Zambia’s trajectory at world level but also convinced world leaders that Zambia is in proper hands under the United Party for National Development (UPND) Government.
Chief Lundu says it is a wish of many Zambians that President Hichilema should have been allowed earlier govern the affairs of the country because he is so far proving to be a good leader committed to uplifting the welfare of every Zambian citizen.
“I must confess that we were so blind as Zambians for not having clearly seen the passion for the country’s development Mr. President Hakainde Hichilema and giving him a mandate to superintend over the affairs of our beloved country Zambia and by now our people could have been better off than they are today,” said Chief Lundu.
And Chief Lundu has commended President Hichilema for the creation of Ministry of Green Economy.
Chief Lundu says creation of the Minister of Green Economy is important for the country as this Ministry is central to increasing decent employment opportunities, enhanced resource and labour productivity by fostering poverty eradication and creating social inclusion in rural areas like Chama District.
The traditional leader charged that the new Ministry of Green Economy will greatly benefit the rural population because the depend so much on the environment and natural resources for their livelihoods such as agriculture, forestry, mining and tourism.
He said that it is without doubt that protecting the environment as championed by His Excellency President Hichilema and his UPND Government, is a step in the right direction for Zambia as our vulnerable women and children are more likely to be negatively affected by environmental degradation and climate change, the consequences.
Chief Lundu says environmental degradation and climate change are growing risks to rural livelihoods, declining productivity, poverty and insecurity conflicts over access to resources thereby promoting rural to urban migration resulting into underdeveloped rural communities.
He said the decision to create such a Ministry should be commended by all well-meaning Zambians beyond political affiliations as the President and his UPND Government have found it extremely important to develop strategic interventions aimed at preserving, restoring and enhancing the quality of the environment across rural areas like Chama District.
Chief Lundu says his subjects in the entire Chiefdom are ready to work with the UPND Government and embark on this progressive trajectory to design strategies for sustainable development, conduct specific capacity-building and raising awareness programmes to trigger consensus building and common ownership amongst social partners – the people of Chama.
Meanwhile, Chief Lundu says lack of access to modern sources of energy is widespread in rural communities like Chama District thereby hampering economic growth, decent jobs and dignified livelihoods amongst the people who entirely depend on the soil.
He adds that to show heartfelt gratitude for the new Ministry, a platform will be created in Chama District and extended to government where inclusive social dialogue with the locals will be promoted for the successful implementation of the policies of going green in the district particularly Lundu Chiefdom.
On the Ministry of Small and Medium Enterprises, Chief Lundu says this Ministry equally deserves yet another applause as an excellent decision to practically implement the saying which many politicians used to trample on the younger generation just to stay in power-” Youths are the leaders of tomorrow which never came”.
He said under the leadership President Hichilema and the UPND Government, the saying has come to pass saying the President is walking the talk and none amongst the past presidents can be compared to him.
Chief Lundu says the youths under the UPND government are the present and future leaders.
He adds that the Ministry of SMEs is vividly pivotal to rural economic development agenda as a country is well recognized when youths and women are involved in employment generation considering the immediate impact such important initiatives have on the nurture of entrepreneurship and its citizenry.
“Your Excellency, since small businesses employment people of the community, this prize- deserving initiative will help reduce risks of social vices in our communities especially doing away with cadrelism as youths will be preoccupied with improving their livelihoods through innovative businesses under the favorable policies of the UPND Government, ” he said.
Chief Lundu says people of Chama will be connected to markets by building up systematic productive capacities, creation of resilient economic systems through value-chain linkages.
Chief Lundu says this will surely provide meaningful livelihood opportunities through simple, value adding processing activities in the agriculturally based economy taking into account the rich and fertile soils of Chama District.
“My Chiefdom and indeed myself are very ready to offer land for research and development so that these ministries can effectively implement government policies and eradicate poverty through economic development,” he added.
ZANIS…..
