THE Chabuka-Aba-Ushi Cultural Traditional and Development Association has praised the Government for releasing more than K250 billion for tarring Pedicle Road in Luapula Province.
Copperbelt region chairperson Stephen Chitwa said in Kitwe yesterday that the road had been in a deplorable state for a long time and upgrading it would improve and promote trade with other provinces and neighbouring countries.
Mr Chitwa said Luapula Province had the potential to improve the country’s economy through agriculture, tourism and mining sectors.
He said the tarring of the road would also create employment for the local people especially the youths and women and subsequently create wealth for all Zambians.
“We would like to commend the Government under the leadership of President Rupiah Banda for releasing funds for the tarring of Pedicle Road which has been untarred since independence and therefore the development would improve and promote trade in the country,” he said.
He advised all stakeholders to ensure that the road was worked on properly.
Last month, Luapula Province Minister Besa Chimbaka announced that the Government had released K250 billion for tarring of the 70 kilometre Pedicle Road to connect Luapula Province to the Copperbelt through the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Mr Chimbaka said this during the installation of Benson Shapi as Chief Chimese of the Ushi people in Mansa District.
He said another K150 billion for the re-surfacing of Mansa-Kashikishi Road was being awaited.
Mr Chitwa further appealed to Chief Kalasa Mukoso of Bangweulu to find a solution to the selection and installation of Chief Mulakwa’s throne, which had been vacant for the past three years.
He said it was important that Chief Kalasa Mukoso, who is the senior chief, spearheads the selection and installation of a new chief as quickly as possible.
[Times of Zambia]
I stay in Mansa and frequently uses peddicle road. if its true they are tarring the road then thats a move that will bring comfort to our hearts. the road is very bad and takes a great deal to cross through it. i pray it is not a political talk only. best wishes
YES THE ROAD WAS A DEATH TRAP NEEDS THAT
The Pedicle is Congolese territory. I would advise Luapulans to press on the Zambian govt to buy the Pedicle from DRC. This foot which turned Zambia into a ‘butterfly’ was insisted upon by the Belgian govt as they thought that the ‘copperbelt’ extended into this pedicle. However geogical surveys have proved that it doesnt. The Congolese have no use for this unpopulated ‘foot’ other than as a nuisance for Zambia. Let the govt negotiate with the Congolese so that Zambia buys this ‘foot’. Talk to ‘your Luapulan’ Katumbi to convince his fellow Katanganese, Kabila in Kinshasa. We can buy it for $250m interest free. We can be paying them $10m annually for the next 25 years.
#3 that’s an excellent preposition. This is also considering that Americans are buying vasy hactres of land in the rain forests or Congo. I usually go through the pedicle and I have always wished that land belonged to Zambia.
LT peddicle road is not in Luapula province but in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
If tarring 70kilometers will cost k250billion, renovating a single society house consuming k500 billion. What economic benefit is society house?
Good road network entails development,and where there is development,there is economic emancipation .Next should be Mansa to Luwingu,then will know if this so called National Cake is being evenly distributed.
When is work starting? We would like this road to be a campaign song.