REMOVE MIDDLEMEN IN DRIVERS’ LICENCES ISSUANCE -LUSAMBO
MIDDLEMEN in the issuance of drivers’ licences should be removed by the Road Transport and Safety Agency (RTSA) as they are encouraging corruption, says Lusaka Province Minister Bowman Lusambo.
Mr. Lusambo said applicants for the documents should instead deal with RTSA directly.
He also said long queues at RTSA offices of people acquiring driving licences could be the reason some of them resorted to using underhand methods to obtain the documents.
The minister said this yesterday when he made an impromptu visit at RTSA Lumumba offices where he found long queues of applicants seeking driving licences.
Mr. Lusambo prodded workers to ensure they reported for work on time and knocked off at 17:00 hours, adding that where possible they should work even beyond the stipulated time to ensure citizens’ needs were met.
He said he had received numerous complaints that workers at the RTSA Lumumba office would sometimes refuse to serve clients or took long to come back from lunch.
Mr. Lusambo, who is Kabushi Member of Parliament said President Edgar Lungu was determined to improve citizens’ welfare in all aspects but that he needed the support from other stakeholders.
“We want to cut down on third parties as they are encouraging corruption. Clients should be able to get these services without difficulties, this is probably the reason they opt to use backdoors.
“President Lungu is determined to serve the Zambian people effectively and efficiently but he cannot do that alone this is why we are a team,” he said.
RTSA station manager Liswaniso Mulozi informed the minister that sometimes machines broke down and that contributed to delays in issuing the licences.
However the situation at RTSA Dedan Kimathi offices was impressive as there were no queues and station manager, Charity Ng’andu said between 60 and 70 drivers’ licences were issued to clients every day.
Mr. Lusambo also toured the Department of National Registration, Passports and Citizenship where he was briefed that workers knocked off early.
It was however later established that workers knocked off at the stipulated official time, contrary to what the minister was earlier informed.
Registrar-General, Matthews Nyirongo said he was encouraged by the minister’s impromptu visits as it would keep them on their toes and demonstrated good leadership.
Mr. Lusambo later passed through Intercity Bus terminus much to the jubilation of onlookers and promised to seal off the gutted COMESA market.