Stakeholders urge government to modernize Luwingu- Mansa road

Stakeholders urge government to modernize Luwingu- Mansa road

Mansa/February 15, 2013/ZANIS —– Concerned stakeholders in Mansa District have urged government to consider contracting an eligible and worthwhile contractor who can set up a state of the art Mansa- Luwingu road in Luapula province.

In addition, the parties have said if government engages an eligible road contractor, it will give the people of Luapula province have an opportunity to have a road, which will stand a test of time.

ZANIS reports from Mansa that this was resolved during an environmental impact assessment meeting at Mansa Municipal council chamber yesterday.

One of the stakeholders Rodgers Nkandu from the Road Transport and Safety Agency ( RTSA )  observed that the Mansa Luwingu road should have shoulders as opposed the many roads in the province which have no shoulders.

Mr. Nkandu added that most accident in the province involve cyclists and that the putting of road shoulders will lessen the accident.

And another stakeholder from the Ministry of Community Development Mother and Child Health Steven Ngoi said measures should be in place to ensure that pits that are dag by the contractor are barred.

Mr. Ngoi said it is sad that many contractors have dag pits in areas where they get gravel and have left them posing danger to the public with incidences of losing life being experienced in the province.

Responding to the concerns raised, Mwimba Nkosha the environmental impact assessment consultant to the tarring of the Mansa Luwingu said he would put into concerns all the issues that have been raised.

Mr. Nkosha observed that the starting point to avoiding road accidents begins with a well-planned road.

Government under the link Zambia 8000 has earmarked the Mansa Luwingu road as one of the roads to be up graded to bituminous level and works on the rod are expected to begin soon after the rains.