A BUSINESS executive Evans Ngoma has advised the Government to seriously engage the private sector to enable the Chipata –Mchinji railway line to become more viable in the transportation of goods.
And Mr Ngoma who is losing Lundazi parliamentary independent candidate has opposed to the night ban of public service vehicles.
He said Government should seriously engage the private sector in the Chipata-Mchinji railway line in order to become more viable.
Mr Ngoma said the railway line should be a contractual arrangement between the Government and private investors to provide public rail services.
“I am urging the Government to engage the private sector so that they can be using the Chipata-Mchinji railway line so often in order for it to become more viable,” he said.
Mr Ngoma also said the extension of the railway line from Chipata–Serenje must start at the earliest possible time.
He said the construction of the railway would reduce the flow of traffic on the Great East Road as people would start using the railway line to transport their goods and services.
He said it was amazing that the Government wants to start the construction of the Chipata-Serenje railway project beginning mid of
2017.
Mr Ngoma said the construction of the railway project from Chipata via Petauke to Serenje would boost trade in Zambia, Malawi and Mozambique who were in the growth triangle.
Recently Transport and Communications Minister Brian Mushimba said the railway line would promote local and international trade once completed.
The minister said the project was meant to enhance regional and international trade through the Nacala Development Corridor with a direct economic stimulus in Zambia, Malawi and Mozambique.
Government signed a US$2.3 billion contract with China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation for the construction of a 388.8 kilometre railway line from Chipata through Petauke in Eastern Province to Serenje in Central Province.
And Mr Ngoma said the Road Development Agency (RDA) and other relevant wings should revisit their designs so as to help in broaden up the
road networks across the country.
He said there was no need to ban vehicles moving at night because it would affect the economic of the country.
He said the ban should be revisited so that other alternative can be looked as part of promoting the road safety.
I THINK THE HEADLINE IS MISLEADING. THIS MAN IS ACTUALLY SUGGESTING THAT THIS IA A VERY VIABLE BUSINESS.
I think so the story says something else the headline something else ba LT they always give us such half-baked stories. Ninshi kanshi?
How many millions of Eurobonds and other loans has Zambia Railways gobbled up?
And what benefits have Zambians got for all this money spent?
This clueless Lungu and his PF are just building unproductive, unprofitable white elephants so they have something to “sonta” at election time, and plunging Zambians into huge debt that will enslave future generations.
Do these incompetent thieves really have the people at heart?
I don’t understand what business executive Evans Ngoma is talking about.
Fisrt of all, number of vehicles are increasing all the time. It is an established fact there is a direct correlation between increase in road carnage and increase in road traffic, especially HGVs – Heavy Good Vehicles – on our roads in Zambia. Added to that is the road damage.
So, solution is to discourage heavy goods on the road and encourage them on rail transport as much as possible, as is the case in developed Countries.
So, why is this business executive against that? Is he a trucker with no plan B?
Imwe naimwe ku Lundashi. Etupuno to? Yaba akatebulo kwati bakafumishe mwi tanga lya nkumba. Inganda nayo! Ekwafuma ba ntamba lukuta uku? no wonder balila mango munshila.