Chief Chikanta appeals for good roads

—Chief Chikanta has appealed to government to urgently work on Mbila road linking his chiefdom to itezhi itezhi district.

The traditional leader made the appeal when Gender and Child Development Minister, Inonge Wina, paid a courtesy on him at his palace in Chikanta.

Chief Chikanta said the upgrading of Mbila road will greatly assist in opening up the area for national development.

He revealed that Mbila area is the hub of agricultural activities, hence the need for government to work on the named road.

The traditional leader lamented that during the rainy season the road becomes impassable, making it difficult to transport farming inputs to the intended beneficiaries.

He recalled that during the previous farming season the company engaged to deliver fertilizer failed to reach Mbila area due to the poor state of the road infrastructure.

Chief Chikanta disclosed that he was forced to mobilize tractors to ferry the farming inputs to Mbila as the road was not accessible to vehicles.

Meanwhile, Chief Chikanta has reaffirmed that the people in his area want to work with government in developing the area.

The traditional leader said the people in his chiefdom have made up their mind and want to partner with government in uplifting the welfare of the community.

And in responding to the chief’s plea, Mrs Wina said she will report the matter to government so that Mbila road can be considered for upgrading.

She stated that the poor state of roads in rural areas affects mostly the women specially when transporting their agricultural produce to the market.

However, Mrs Wina was optimistic that the link Zambia 8000 will assist in improving the state of roads in rural places.

She said her ministry is determined to link rural women to readily available markets where they can sell their yields.

The minister said government is concerned with the plight of the women in rural areas hence her ministry has initiated programmes aimed at empowering them.

Mrs Wina told the traditional leader that she decided to visit Mbila and see what women clubs are engaged in and also to explain to them what incentives government has in place for women clubs.