THERE are many reasons for anyone to be contented with efforts the Government is making to push Zambia from the periphery of under-development to a position of social and economic prominence on the continent.
For one, the uncoordinated approach to development issues which characterised the former government threatened to thrust our country into the eye of the storm and encouraged a dreary atmosphere among the citizenry.
It is not a matter of dispute that many parts of the country lie in desolation resulting from failure by past leaders to spread out development efforts in the form of decentralisation.
This is a task the Patriotic Front (PF) Government has embarked on, part of the evidence being the new districts that have been formed to allow for fresh structures to be rolled out and act as vessels of development.
There are also ambitious steps being taken to remedy the ills in critical wings of governance such as the Judiciary.
Zambians are united in welcoming the changes made in the leadership of the Judiciary which are inspiring confidence and hope for better things to come.
The Constitution-making process, which had tragic twists and turns in the past, is also on course and has attracted unprecedented participation from citizens eager to see a solid document put in place to transcend our generation.
The security offered by economic and political stability makes Zambia a special platform for prosperity and the country has deservedly earned the tag of a bright destination for Foreign Direct Investment.
Efforts to capacitate our women have received commendation as this will encourage hard work and help unlock the long-overlooked potential in our womenfolk most of whom possess impeccable academic qualifications.
The steps our President has taken to elevate an increasing number of women to positions of authority defy the notion constructed mostly by our local cultures that women are ineligible for leadership in this male-dominated world.
There is also the greater anti-corruption crusade that is serving notice on dishonest people that their world is shrinking at a very fast pace.
The damage corruption has caused to our economic is unimaginable. Many citizens have suffered financial ruin and lost dignity because of some individuals who have sought to build empires at the expense of the majority Zambians.
It has been sad over the past decade to note the growing trend of pilfering among some spending agencies and the irreverence displayed by some individuals who are supposed to be helping our country in the fight against poverty.
All these are the social and economic evils the Government is working to stop so that the Zambian people enjoy the benefits of their resources.
With all these efforts the Government is making to better the lives of the people, it should not surprise anyone that our cooperating partners have given us a thumbs-up.
At a time when many countries in Africa are battling to shed their poor governance records, it gives us confidence that our partners in development are recognising our efforts despite the challenges we still face.
We are motivated by the words of encouragement that were made at the joint Poverty Reduction Budget Support review meeting in Lusaka yesterday where our strengths as a country were outlined at the same time that areas that need attention were also pointed out.
What made the meeting more meaningful was the fact that participants were drawn from various Government spending agencies who were invited to share notes on key aspects of underlying principles
and to assess the 2011 Performance Assessment Framework.
It would be an exercise in futility if the right players in our development efforts were not targeted and it is important to embrace the advice dispensed at the meeting as a mark of recognising the importance of performance assessment.
For example, there are some gaps that have been identified in the management of the Food Reserve Agency which need attention.
The Performance Assessment Framework, according to our partners, had showed worrying deterioration in key public financial management indicators and the lack of availability of timely budget execution reports.
These are matters that need urgent attention for the mutual benefit of our country and the people that are going an extra mile in helping us despite the economic challenges their countries are facing.
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