Irate villagers besiege deputy minister

– The deputy minister for  Works and Supply  Mwimba Malama has  advised councils in the northern province to consider buying additional earth moving equipment to expedite road works in the area.

Mr Malama gave the advice yesterday in Chief Mukupa Katandula’s area when irate villagers of Munkonto village besieged him demanding an explanation as to why works on the Nkosa  via  Mukubwe bridge to Nsama district road have stalled.

He agreed with the villagers cry over the work stoppage of a K2 billion road project funded by the Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit had stalled.

 

The project once complete will grade, compact and install culverts on river crossings along the road.

Mr. Malama sympathized with the  people that adding that it was the desire of the government to see many rural areas open up through construction and rehabilitation of roads.

 

He learnt that the works could not continue because the Rural Roads Unit and  the Zambia National Service only have functional excavator.

The deputy minster expressed worry that both Muchinga and Northern Provinces depend on one excavator to do all the road works.

And speaking on behalf of  the irate villagers Chanda  Mutale  said that people of the area will not allow government resources  go to waste.

The deputy minister  is on a tour of road projects in Northern  and Muchinga  provinces.