TRADITIONAL rulers are important partners in national development, particularly that they are spread out in all areas of the country.

Apart from the fact that they are the custodians of culture and tradition, traditional rulers, form a cardinal link between the grassroots and the national level.

This is the more reason why the Government has regularly engaged traditional rulers in discourse on various aspects of development and other important issues.

In all the tours President Banda has undertaken, he has always met chiefs and other traditional rulers to get first hand information on the challenges they are facing and also to explain the strides his Government is taking in various programmes.

These regular meetings have all the time clarified negative aspersions cast by some opposition political party leaders who have been plying these areas, misleading traditional rulers.

The meetings have also highlighted what the Government needs to do for the people.

Interaction has served as a yardstick to gauge how much the Government has done and how much more it needs to do.

In Mpongwe District for instance, chiefs have expressed happiness that the Government is working on roads and sinking boreholes among other development projects.

Road rehabilitation and construction is one of the most important aspects that accelerate national development as this opens the rural areas and also facilitates smooth transportation of farm inputs during the planting season and the produce after the harvest period.

Most people in the innermost chiefdoms depend on farming for their livelihood and thus the Government programme to rehabilitate feeder and other roads would spur development in these areas.

It is important, however, that Government funding and project implementing agencies expedite the processes and work within a stipulated period.

Chief Machiya has observed that there is poor work culture among some Government workers and this needs to be addressed.

We are confident that the tour by Copperbelt Permanent Secretary Villie Lombanya has brought out something worthwhile for the Government to digest.

As Mr Lombanya announced, the president will soon tour Copperbelt chiefdoms and it is hoped that this interactive meeting will address various issues pertaining to national development.