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Finding resources for Zambia’s roads is a challenge – Mulongoti

COMMENT - Then tax the mines.

Finding resources for Zambia’s roads is a challenge – Mulongoti
By Agness Changala
Thu 11 Feb. 2010, 04:01 CAT

WORKS and supply minister Mike Mulongoti (above) has said the country is faced with a challenge of having to find adequate resources to invest in the roads. Mulongoti yesterday said that the country also had a challenge of making hard choices in order to complete all the old major projects that were started many years ago.

“Such as Kasama-Luwingu, Mutanda-Chavuma, Kalabo-Chitonge, Mpongwe-Luansobe, Mongu-Kalabo and Chipata-Lundazi roads,” he said.

Mulongoti said the government had to upgrade several main and district roads to bituminous standards to complete the works that were started previously, and attend to the many poor urban roads.

He said the government would place all rural roads under strict regular maintenance involving spot gravelling as opposed to full gravelling particularly on low traffic volume roads.

He also announced that the board of the Road Development Agency (RDA) as per mandate had approved the 2010 annual work plan (AWP) of K1.29 trillion.

“The main objective of the 2010 annual work plan is to complete the on going road projects and maintaining them in fair condition as well as to attend to rural roads in the country,” said Mulongoti.

And acting permanent secretary Whytone Ngulube said the government would not hesitate to fire road engineers who would hire out earth-moving equipment.

Officiating at a three-day workshop for Rural Roads Unit (RRU) held at Capital Hotel in Lusaka, Ngulube who is also director of buildings said the equipment was not for hire adding that if it were so, the government would have come up with the rates.

Labels: INFRASTRUCTURE, MIKE MULONGOTI, ROADS

posted by MrK @ 5:47 PM