Water transport to get boost
GOVERNMENT will procure two by 120 passenger water vessels to provide safe passage and movement of passengers’ in areas where water is the only mode of transportation by the end of the first quarter of 2018.
Transport and Communications Minister Brian Mushimba said Government was determined to revamp the water transportation system to improve the movement of passengers and goods.
The minister said this when he inspected maritime infrastructure projects on Lake Bangweulu and Mweru in Luapula province recently.
In a statement issued at the weekend, head public relations Maimbolwa Mulikelela said Government intended to make comprehensive facilitates to support the economic activities in areas where water transportation was a primary mode of transportation.
Mr Mushimba said for Zambia to position itself as hub of transport and communication in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region, there was need to create facilities to support that vision around all waterways across the country.
He said one vessel had already been deployed in Samfya District of Luapula Province through Zampost.
“The supply and delivery of the two by 120 passenger water buses will be done end of first quarter 2018. We have decided to procure two passenger vessels to provide safe passage and movement of passengers in those hard to reach places where water is the only mode of transportation,” he said.
Mr Mushimba said in order to provide the people with reliable and safe means of transportation after frequent casualties on the waterways, the Government had further procured three passenger vessels to be deployed on Lakes Bangweulu and Mweru.
He said his ministry was in process of creating a water authority that would regulate water transportation in Zambia.
Mr Mushimba who is PF Member of Parliament for Kankoyo in Mufulira said the creation of the authority would create a system that would promote development of water transportation in an orderly fashion.
He expressed disappointment with the substandard work displayed by the contractor engaged to rehabilitate the lodge for maritime in Nchelenge at Lake Mweru
Mr Mushimba said the Government would start reporting erring contractors to the law enforcement agencies for failure to provide quality service.
He said the construction of the US$282 million communication towers project had started with 98 sites earmarked for Luapula province.
Mr Mushimba said the construction of the communication towers would employ on average 30 people per site translating to at least 30,000 jobs in local and rural areas.