Maravi

Address strain on roads, Osborn urges government

Address strain on roads, Osborn urges government
By Kabanda Chulu in Kitwe
Mon 06 June 2011, 03:39 CAT

GOVERNMENT should immediately address the huge strain being placed on infrastructure such as roads as a result of increased economic activity, says Bill Osborn. And Osborn, who is Copperbelt Show Society chairman, said the agriculture sector was still facing several challenges despite encouraging signs of growth.

During the 54th Copperbelt Mining, Agriculture and Commercial Show in Kitwe, Osborn said the mining industry had grown from strength to strength over the past year and this will be maintained over the next 12 months and beyond.

“Because of the increased activity that this investment has generated, there is a huge strain being placed on infrastructure.

At present roads are being used as the main form of transport and they cannot cope with the number and weight of trucks using them. Although a number of roads are being rebuilt and resurfaced, the standard of work and maintenance is not always what it should be.

Equipment, concentrate, flux, lime, sulphur, general supplies and even explosives are all being moved by road which is having devastating effect on them,” Osborn said.

“This is why we should see the importance of reviving the railways in the country because it is now even more necessary that investment is put into the railway system either by government or the concessionaires which will be able to recoup their investment through increased traffic levels.”

He also said farmers could only recoup their investment in production if the marketing system is working well.

“It is important that once again the government and the private sector put their heads together to devise effective measures to ensure that this year’s crop marketing is well thought out and executed.

Farmers should also think more and plan more and they also need help from government in the areas of market research and market development so that the agriculture sector can improve competitiveness, increase production and start and embrace crop diversification,” Osborn said.

He said the Zambian economy was growing steadily but the improvements were trapped in traditional areas.

“This is why it is often difficult for the ordinary man on the street to visualise the benefits hence the need to expand into new areas and encourage exploration in non-traditional areas which will lead to a wider spread of investment which in turn will lead to more employment and other areas of development,” said Osborn.

Officially opening the show on Friday, President Banda said there was urgent need to address the challenge posed by the maize bumper harvest.

“Given the major maize harvest recorded, government realises the need to increase national storage capacity of agricultural inputs and products and we are already constructing and rehabilitating more silos and storage sheds in strategic locations of the country but this is an enormous financial undertaking which requires long-term forward planning; hence the private sector should consider investing in storage infrastructure,” said President Banda.

Labels: INFRASTRUCTURE, ROADS

posted by MrK @ 2:10 PM