(LUSAKATIMES) Mining activities strain Zambian roads - Siliya

Mining activities strain Zambian roads - Siliya
September 5, 2008

Transport and Communications minister Dora Siliya says increased mine activities have strained the transports sector in Zambia. Ms Siliya said this was evident by the overwhelming strain on main roads in northwestern province due to activities of Lumwana mine in Solwezi.

She said expressed the concern at a stakeholders consultative meeting on the performance of the railway systems of Zambia and Tanzania-Zambia railway authority Friday at Mukuba Hotel.

Ms. Siliya said there was need to see how government could work with the private sector in promoting substantial investment in the railway transport sector because of the anticipated increased volume of goods when the mines start full production.

She said the challenge need to be tackled in the province for the for transportation of goods and services from the mines and other industries.

She said the volume of cargo that was coming from the mines and cement production should be better handled by the railway trans[port which could help in saving the roads from quick damage.

She said it was important for railway systems of Zambia and Tazara to find ways of improving capacity to help in the handling of the impending increased volumes of goods that would need to be transported from one point to the other.

She said the agricultural sector was also posing a huge demands in the transportation of fertilizers and the harvests from point one to points two where the railway system of transport could do better.

Ms Siliya said the economic boom that Zambia was experiencing had come with its own challenges in the transport sector and it was the responsibility of the government and the private sector to put their heads together and find solutions to the problem.

ZANIS/CN/EML/ENDS/MM