LAND management and distribution to Zambians is one of the biggest challenges that the Government is currently facing.
Land is a very crucial means of production under any economic system.
This is why proper administration of land is vital, because any disturbances can cause far-reaching distortions and upheavals both socially and economically.
On several occasions, civic and Government leaders have emphasised the need for those wishing to buy land, for whatever purposes, to follow laid-down procedures and adhere to the right channels.
This is why we commend the move by Chief Mukubwe of the Lenje-speaking people of Ngabwe District who has given the Government 11,587 hectares of land.
Ngabwe is one of the newly-created districts in Central Province and, so is in dire need of land for development.
The land in issue is meant for the construction of the district administration offices and other Government departments for smooth operations to take place.
We do agree with the sentiments of the traditional ruler that there is need for chiefs to partner with the Government to help deliver development to the people in the newly-created districts.
Chief Mukubwe said this during the signing ceremony of the Ngabwe District township boundary maps.
The traditional ruler was delighted with the rate at which the Government was delivering its promises to the people.
The chief appealed to the Government to consider, among the first structures to be erected, building a police station to help reduce incidences of violence in the area, implying that the area lacks this
facility as the first point where people can rush to and report cases of violence that occur there for justice to prevail.
At the same time, Central Province Permanent Secretary Edwidge Mutale, during the signing of the boundary maps, said the occasion would signify the beginning of construction work of the administration offices as well as Government departments in the new district.
Ms Mutale indicated that the contractor reported to the site two months earlier but construction work could not start due to layout plans which had not been done.
She revealed that the nearest police station was situated about 180 kilometres away – in Kabwe – such that levels of crime in the area were on the increase.
Now that this process has began in earnest, it is a step in the right direction, to ensure that procedure pertaining to the construction work could now move in tandem with other structures expected to begin to take shape soon.