The Road Transport and Safety Agency (RTSA) says there is need to intensify road safety awareness following an increase in the number of traffic accidents in recent weeks.
RTSA Board Chairperson, Cornelius Chipoma said the agency is concerned with the rise in road carnages that have claimed lives.
ZANIS reports that Dr Chipoma was speaking when he paid a courtesy call on Northern Province Permanent Secretary, Charles Sipanje today.
Dr Chipoma also expressed concern over the high levels of non-compliance to road safety regulations among road users in rural areas.
“We know that roads are socio-economic spaces but we need to raise awareness among citizens so that we can protect lives and address concerns of road safety,” said Dr Chipoma
He revealed that RTSA will ensure that it carries out an all-inclusive road safety sensitization campaign as part of efforts to reduce accidents.
Dr Chipoma further said the Agency also intends to engage key stakeholders such as traditional leaders in road safety campaign activities.
“Typically, in rural areas compliance is very difficult. We see corollas carrying mattresses, iron sheets with maybe eight passengers. Corollas are doing things that not even a canter can do. So this is a huge concern for us as RTSA,” he said.
Meanwhile, Dr Chipoma has appealed to members of the public to make use of the recently introduced online payment system on the government e-service bus.
He said the Agency is concerned that motorists are not utilizing the platform to pay for services such as road tax, driver’s license renewal and motor vehicle registration.
And Mr Sipanje said the Provincial Administration is equally concerned with the increase in road accidents saying RTSA should scale up safety awareness and road patrols.
He added that the huge investment made by government in road infrastructure development will not bear meaningful results if people do not follow road safety regulations.
“You know the country has been experiencing road accidents and Northern Province is not an exception. Of course RDA is doing everything possible to improve our roads but we need our people to be cautious as they use these roads,” Mr Sipanje said.
Mr Sipanje further called for emergency works on damaged sections of the Kasama-Mpika and Kasama-Mbala-Mpulungu roads which are posing a danger to road users.
“Increased road accidents irks RTSA”
This sentence is as patronising as it is stuupid. Patronising because under the nose and fully opened eyes of RTSA, ROAD TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS in Zambia are just as normal as breathing oxygen. In fact it is not normal in Zambia to have no accidents. It wouldn’t be a surprise to learn that the so called RATSA uses corruption for their blood. I have head bus companies repeatedly given back certificates of operation accident after accident. In other countries with such similar bodies as RATSA most of the bus oprator’s certificates would have been confiscated and shredded. Not only are the main culprits bus operators. Sadly, lack of updated proper driver training is responsible of high rate of accidents on the roads in Zambia. RATSA board MUST be disolved…
…RATSA board MUST be disolved and more serious and professional board with no corrupt minds takes office.
Governance has very little to do with infrastructure. I am not sure I need to say more. By governance I am not even talking about political governance; that one is covered and understood in the context of stuff going on in their area. Here we are talking about what responsibilities our communities have and whether the authority tasked with that duty are actually earning their keep well by doing their jobs.
The biggest problem in Zambia is the people. Somehow they need to be educated as to being the ones benefiting from great roads. Civilians should start suing government and things will change. People don’t realize they have the right to do that. Now RTSA should also be proactive, they talk too much. Action and less yapping.
INDEPENDANCE WAS ONCE GOLD AND LIFE WAS LOST BY OUR HEROS JUST FOR EVERY ONE TO ENJOY GODS CREATION . BUT SLOWLY LOSING SWEET AS WE USHER POLY HEROS WHO DAILY FIGHT ONE ANOTHER IN A BID TO RIDE OUR THIS HORSE POOR ZAMBIA. NOW IS IT TRUE THAT WE HAVE JUSTICE AND EQUALLY SHARING THE CAKE ? IF ALL OUR FALLEN HEROS WERE TO RISE UP FROM THEIR GRAVE THEY WOULD NOT MOAN PAIN OF THEIR DEATH BUT DISAPPOINTMENT OF WHAT IS NOW HAPPENING .
Road traffic policing is a 24-hr job. Secondly Zindaba Soko should never hv been appointed as chief executive of RTSA. The damage he caused to the institution will be with Zambia for many years to come.
My brother received his driver’s licence before he started driving lessons. He bribed an official into giving him a certificate. Zambia is a Christian nation my foot! You’re all just a bunch of deadbeats who have no clue what you’re doing. A waste of space!!!