Government should consider speeding up the formalising of trade between Zambia and Congo DR so that the business community of both countries can benefit.

The benefits for Zambia, especially, are immense as this will consolidate the market for various goods and farm products such as maize for example.

Apart from the country earning enough foreign exchange, the menacing problem of smuggling will be reduced or curbed as most goods and services will be transacted in a normal way.

Drainage systems still bad

As the rains continue to build up, most local authorities in the country have still not done their home work on the drainage systems.

One of the glaring examples is Lusaka's Kanyama Township whose problem has been perennial.

But that aside, another example is Ndola, especially the Dag Hammarskjöld drive under bridge and worse still, at Stanbic Bank junction where the floods even threaten to enter the financial institution. This challenge has fallen on the Ndola City Council's deaf ears and no one seems to care.

Kwacha rebasing challenges

Rebasing of the Kwacha has come with its own challenges as evidenced by the behaviour of some marketeers who are refusing the new currency in preference to the old one.

Some traders are even refusing to accept coins, saying they are worthless and have no value, while in some instances, the blind community want more information to be put on Braille to make it easy for them to identify the various denominations.

Briefcase advises that Bank of Zambia(BoZ) and other stakeholders that there is need to intensify the sensitisation programmes throughout the country as there is evidence that some people in far-flung rural areas are still in the dark about the new rebased currency.