The Road Development Agency (RDA) has disclosed that about K19 billion would be needed for the repair of damaged infrastructure countrywide that was destroyed by floods this year .
RDA head of public relations Loyce Saili disclosed to ZANIS in an interview that an initial assessment carried out so far has revealed that the agency would need about K19 billion to carry out the works.
Ms. Saili however pointed out that the funds needed for repair and rehabilitation works are likely to go up if the country experiences more rains as indicated by the meteorological department.
She said so far the most affected provinces infrastruacture destruction include Southern, Eastern, central and Western Provinces.
She said the Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit (DMMU) has committed K11 billion for various repair and rehabilitation works.
The RDA Public relations said some of the works are nearing completion in Southern and Eastern Provinces.
She said Sable company , the contractor working on the Great East Road, has managed to repair three potions that were damaged by the rains adding that only one part of the road is remaining at Songwe .
Ms. Saili further stated that the contractor working on the Lusitu bridge on the Siavonga road has done about 80 percent of the works.
She said the agency has engaged the Road Construction Company (RCC) to undertake works in western province.
And Ms Saili says the agency would move to put up permanent bridges after the rains where RDA has erected bailey bridges.
The agency has engaged two local companies to put up bailey bridges on the Great East Road and Maamba – Bakota road so as to restore economic activities.
She however said the agency have already installed culverts at Kacholola bridge whose complete bridge would be done at the end of the rains.
This is the same amount ( tax payer`s money)that fat LPM spends on his foreign tours, just make him stay at home like gorden brown or bush and we can serve this amount and build all the roads in zambia.
How many has he made so far ? 200 or 500, i have lost count they are just too many.
Ask british airways and they will tell you that african leaders account for more than 50% of their annual revenue on african routes esp. the zambian route.FACT
Your point being?
I quote ‘She said so far the most affected provinces infrastruacture destruction include Southern, Eastern, central and Western Provinces’. The RDA in its current form cannot effectively make meaningful impact as far as national road development is concerned. I am an advocate for a more decentralised system where the provincial road development units should be in place to effectively oversee these developmental projects rather than the centralised RDA. No wonder we have half baked and shoddy road works in this country. Decentralisation is the way to go.
i really agree with dickson the RDA is top heavy and implementation is not there sorry for the mo ney being wasted
2 are you that dumb, or just born stupid?
Decentralisation might be the long term solution but for now, we need to provide adequate funding to the RDA. The money that is often given (to them) is not adequate for them to fully deal with creating as well as maintaining roads. Infrastructure building is an expensive task and am for the idea of providing them more money. Ministry of Finance through their FNDP should ensure that they give them a good share including releasing the road tax levy on fuel which they often don’t release.
ZRA always nets over that amount in two monthswith the increase of Vehicles coming into ZED, in addition we all pay our road tax and fitness costs so please govt already has revenue why the cry?????
Decentralisation will bring about alot of corruption and bribery.For now not a practical solution, however, may the RDA should tink of putting toll gates on national routes. Say two or three of them from L/stone to Lusaka.This generates money to top-up to the budget allocation.Its works well in RSA.How about that?
Increasing the fuel levy which does not really help but increases the standard of living, and ministry takes long to reconcile and pay the RDA.
RDA says K19 billion would be needed for the repair of damaged road infrastructure countrywide that was destroyed by floods this year. Im just wondering if this could be true considering the damage that has been done and the stealing that is there when awarding these contracts. A road of abou 5km needs about close to K5 billion to be resurfaced therefore I’ve just be wondering which kind of roads RDA is talking about or probably its just lipsay
Nga ba Minister mama Dora Siliya balikwisa? was she also affected by the floods in her road network? It’s true she used to get alot of traffic. Kuponona iwe