Contractors engaged by government to construct the 168 kilometre Solwezi – Chingola Road have started mobilizing and are ready to commence the construction works soon after commissioning next week.
The road works are scheduled for commissioning by President Edgar Lungu on June 4th 2015.
Special assistant to the President for projects monitoring and implementation Lucy Mulusa, who was in Solwezi yesterday to access the preparedness of contractors engaged to work on the Solwezi Chingola road declared the contractors, as being ready to start the work.
“This is encouraging to see that our Zambian contractors are showing commitment towards undertaking this kind of projects. This means that we are getting somewhere as they will be able to contribute to economic growth of this country,” Mr Mulusa said.
The 168 kilometres road will be constructed at the cost of over K 1 Billion.
The Road development agency senior manager public relations Loyce Saili explained that the stretch has been divided in three lots but will be done by two contractors.
“China Geo will work on lot 1 and lot 3 which will cover 60 and 68 kilometres respectively. It will cost about K 700 million and will be executed in 24 months,” Ms. Saili said.
Ms. Saili said lot 2 that cover 40 kilometres will worked on by Buildcon Investment at the cost of K305 million and will be done within 18 months.
She said the agency is logistically ready for commissioning the road works which will be done together with the 30.5 kilometres of township roads.
“The commissioning of Solwezi Chingola road and township road works will done at the same time because one contractor China Geo is expected to do township roads as well,” she added.
Buildcon Investment chief executive officer Moses Mubanga said the company will employ about 300 local youths for initial works.
Mr Mubanga who has started creating detour roads on lot 2 stretch said his company will work within the stated timeframe and has assured quality works.
And Senior Chief Kalilele told Mr Mulusa that he was happy with the development because it has shown that President Lungu is committed to one Zambia one Nation motto.
“Tell the President we are ready to support and work with him to deliver development to the region” the chief added.
Please, do a good job on this road. There are heavy loaded trucks that are/will use this road.
We’ve been hearing about these works for far too long and should by now be getting reports and shown pictures on milestones achieved in construction activity, not just TOKO, TOKO and TOKO all the time!
This road and the Lusaka to Ndola should have been done by now but tribal Sata decided to build 2 universities and roads in Muchinga where there’s no economic activities. Hope Sata’s universities will not become white elephants. Zambia needs each province to be autonomous. Barotse issue will be come a thing of the past too if more power is given to provinces
You are right…I thought the last time they said this road was near completion ????????
I hope they will leave expansion for a dual carriageway for the future. This road won’t last with the number of trucks that pass through it
You proudly same a Zambian contractor Buildcon is undertaking construction yet China Geo is working on 2 of the 3 lots the majority of construction…always contradicting yourselves.
You need a motorway for this stretch of road as it will only be used mainly by heavy goods vehicles to the mines and a form of tax needs to collected from them to pay for this construction and maintenance of this selfsame road.
Ba Opposition Seleni Tubombeko! Ifintu Ni EL.N/werstern nipamaka chabe.viva 2016!
SO ROAD PAVE AND THE CONTRACTORS WHO WERE ON SITE WERE JUST THERE TO FOOL THE PEOPLE OF THE PROVINCE?
ITS THE MANDATE OF GOVERMENT TO PROVIDE SERVISES EXPECIALLY IN NORTH WESTERN WHERE MINERALS ARR COMING FROM.
SATA THE CHIEF TRIBALIST IS NOW ASHAMED IN GRAVE.EQUITY IS IMPORTANT
Road or no road , it is HH 2016: