US$4M SET ASIDE FOR STREET LIGHTS
FOUR million dollars has been earmarked for the installation of street lights in Lusaka and the project is expected to start soon, Lusaka Mayor Wilson Kalumba has said.
In an interview with the Daily Nation, Mr Kalumba said the installation would start on selected roads within the city.
Mr Kalumba said a number of street lights and traffic signals had been developed and more have been planned under the inner ring road project.
He said once the street lights were installed it would improve security and safety for both motorists and pedestrians especially that criminals were taking advantage of the darkness.
He however bemoaned traffic accidents resulting into damage of traffic signals as well as street light poles and appealed to residents to take full responsibility of public facilities that had been erected in the city for their benefit.
He urged the general public to report to law enforcers people that vandalise the council facilities, such as street lights.
He said the council had a mandate and responsibility to provide public services in the city adding that in all fairness people benefiting from these had a responsibility to protect and safeguard the facilities.
“Lusaka city council was losing a lot of revenue in replacing the vandalised facilities instead of channeling the little available resources to development of new initiatives and it was disturbing that some people did not value street lights meant to provide security to residents at night, which was a major component of providing security to the general public,” said Mr Kalumba.
Mr Kalumba noted that vandalism of public property was retrogressive and that the council would not hesitate to apprehend offenders, but to allow the law to take its course on anyone that would be found wanting.
Mr Kalumba said the council was determined to continue providing services to the general public despite many challenges, adding that the council always endeavoured to have working street lights, but a few days after fixing them, vandals came to break them.