NRFA Public Relations Manager Alphonsius Hamachila said that so far, the number of vehicles passing through Kalense and Kateshi toll plazas in Kasama district has increased from the targeted 500 to over 600 per day.
ZANIS reports that Mr. Hamachila said he is optimistic that the development will translate into increased revenue collection for government from the road sector.
He has since encouraged motorists to continue supporting government policy on improving roads, stating that the proceeds from the toll gates will go towards the maintenance of roads across the country.
Mr. Hamachila has also called on stakeholders in the area to continue rendering the necessary support to officers manning the two road facilities in the district.
Meanwhile, some Kasama residents constructing houses in the area have complained of the increased transportation costs of building sand by K100 because of the toll-gate charges.
They have since appealed to the Police, Road Safety and Transport Agency (RTSA) and other stakeholders to intervene stating that the move by transporters is day-light robbery.
Mr. Hamachila, that money is not going to improve road structure as you state. It goes to fund corrupt activities of government officials. For a minute, ask how many roads are being built in Northern province? All the roads under the Sata road project have stalled. The Chambeshi – Isoka, the Nseluka-Kayambi for example, are but a campaign talking point! And yet millions collected every week. There is no systematic plan and no accountability.
How many millions are collected every week and since when have these millions been collected? Are they adeguate to construct so many roads as you have listed? How much is the cost of each of those roads you listed? How much tax do you pay to the national treasury? These are some unrealistic expectations which have made many people to remain arm chair critics without reasoning.
Ba Kev Munde, if government decides to build a road from toll free it doesn’t mean they will use money from Kasama for Kasama roads, it’s country wide. Maybe money being collected in Kasama will contribute road construction in Northwestern province. Equally, if we have to complete Nseluka-Kayambi or Mungwi-Mbesuma-Isoka even money collected in Kafue will be poured there.
Its NATIONAL Road Fund Agency in charge. Maybe the question you should ask is, are the monies really being used for road construction and maintenance? Maybe that is the money paying salaries and/or other things. For now part of the money is being ploughed back in construction of new toll gates. So the Kasama toll gates maybe have been constructed from Manyumbi and Kafulafuta toll fees. That is the way things go.