Slow road works on Kasempa-Mumbwa,Kalulushi worry govt.

North Western Province Minister Nathaniel Mubukwanu says the Kasempa-Mumbwa and Kasempa-Kalulushi roads earmarked for construction under the link Zambia 8000 will boost trade and easy mobility of people between the Copperbelt and North Western provinces.

Mr Mubukwanu said the two roads are critical because they will not only provide a shortcut for people moving between the two provinces but will also help boost trade with other regions.

However, Mr Mubukwanu expressed concern over the slow pace at which projects under the Link Zambia 8000 are being undertaken in the province.

He said there was need for the Road Development Agency (RDA) to change the approach in the way road projects were being undertaken in the province.

He said development becomes impossible without a good road infrastructure and therefore called on RDA to hasten the feasibility studies and designs for the earmarked roads so that works can commence.

The minister said this in Solwezi when a team of engineers from the RDA led by Director of maintenance engineer Emmanuel Kaunda paid a courtesy call on him at his office.

Mr Mubukwanu also called on RDA to closely monitor the main contractor working on the Solwezi-Chingola road which he said is a life line road for the province and was also a highly politicized one.

He said the provincial administration is concerned with the increased road carnage due to its bad state.

And RDA Director of Maintenance Emmanuel Kaunda said RDA has prioritized the Solwezi-Chingola road and is committed to ensuring that the road is worked on within the shortest possible time.

Mr Kaunda said RDA was closely monitoring the main contractor and warned that if no tangible progress was made the agency will be left with no option but  revoke the contract.

He also assured the minister that physical works on the roads under the link Zambia 8000 will commence by next year.

The RDA team was on a one day inspection of road works on the K217 million Solwezi-Chingola road which has since been sub contracted to China Geo corporation after no progress was made by the main contractor called Road Pave.