The Energy Regulation Board (ERB) in conjunction with the Lusaka City Council (LCC) officials yesterday conducted on-the-spot checks on sanitary conditions at some filling stations in Lusaka.
The inspection is in the wake of the Cholera situation that has hit the capital city in compounds, urban areas and public places.
Delegation leader who is also ERB Chairperson Raymond Mpundu conducted the inspections at six filling stations which, revealed that some filling stations did not have proper health facilities required in accordance with the Public Health Act.
Mr. Mpundu regretted that some filling stations lacked sanitary items like toilet papers, disinfectants, no water and no disposal bins.
Mr. Mpundu expressed sadness over the dirty surroundings at the station premises as well as the indiscriminate throwing of litter to his disappointment and other LCC officials.
The Board Chairperson warned filing stations that do not comply, that they risked their licenses being revoked.
He advised the station managements to ensure that they adhere to standards contained in their licenses for them to operate.
Mr. Mpundu disclosed that the Board’s Inspectorate Unit will continue to carry out inspections randomly without informing station managements of filling stations in the country.
And Petroda Filling Station Supervisor Joseph Nkausu who was at pains to talk to the officials however, pledged to adhere and comply with trading license requirements by ensuring that all the necessary sanitary measures are put in place at his Station.
Mr. Mpundu, who was accompanied by his Vice Ngande Mwanajiti, ERB Executive Director Langiwe Lungu, LCC Health Inspector Kachikoti Banda, LCC Environmental Health Officer Tendai Chimamba and other ERB and local authority officials, toured Puma, Engene, Kobil, Petroda and Total filling Service Stations in Chelston, Avondale, Twin Palm, Salama Park, Presidential Housing Initiative and Kalinga-linga areas respectively.
The team also toured Mtendere Compound where hundreds of make-shifts stalls dotted at Mtendere market and along the street were being erased by joint military personnel in an effort to combat cholera.
Cholera has claimed over 66 people so far and the accumulative cases of over 3,000 since the disease broke out in October, last year.
Meanwhile, LCC’s Inspectorate team told ZANIS in a separate interview that they are looking for expiry dates on food stuffs in filling station shops.
They said expired food stuffs pose a health hazard to the members of the public when consumed.
When is ministry of health & LCC gonna inspect the pit latrines and trenches full of raw sewage in Chibolya,Kamwala ,kalingalinga etc?
Better late than never. This vigilance should continue by not allowing the street vendors back.
Ifiko paliponse ifiko. Include cleanness in school curriculum from nursery school level…..we don’t have to be rich to be clean….
The toilets at the Zambian High Commisson are just as bad, pls Mr Ambassador do something.
HOW DO YOU EXPECT THE FILLING STATIONS TO HAVE PROPER TOILETS AND SANITARY MATERIALS WHEN WHEN ALL COUNCILS AND STANDARDS BODIES (IF ANY) HAVE COMPLETELY GONE TO SLEEP?
They should inspect Cholera too!
ERB, Local councils & ZB of standard inspectorate health units are non existent in Zambia. Dirt & filth is very normal in Zambia what do u expect & yet we fly all over the world surely can’t we learn how people elsewhere live?
Inspect Mt. Meru also. Be lucky if you even find a toilet!
Fire fighting management. These toilets should be regularly inspected, cholera or no cholera