Minister of Transport and Communications Brian Mushimba says Government remains committed to installing communication towers across the country in order to improve network connectivity.
Speaking when he paid a courtesy call on Kalabo District Commissioner Fridah Luhila, Mr. Mushimba said Government attaches great importance to enhanced telecommunication network because it is the backbone of a robust economic agenda.
Mr. Mushimba described the installation of communication towers as a government ambitious program aimed at improving communication so as to open up rural areas to multi-sectorial economic investment.
He noted that communication towers have launched the advent of e-banking, mobile communication, integrated health services and e-learning among several other benefits.
However, Mr. Mushimba has bemoaned the deplorable state of the ferry pontoon that service across Luanginga river at Kalabo harbour.
He disclosed that Government would consider procuring a new pontoon conducive for safe and reliable marine crossing.
The Minister has since reaffirmed that President Edgar Lungu’s administration would enhance transport and communication facilities in all parts of the country as promised during the campaigns.
Presenting a profile report earlier, Mrs. Luhila said the construction of three communication towers at Mapungu, Ndoka and Lukona has enhanced the social and economic lives of people.
The District Commissioner noted that the towers have stimulated the provision of electronic money transactions, emergency health services and cost of doing business.
As minister in charge of transport, what is Brian doing to ensure that citizens who are paying collosal sums of money get the drivers licence promptly. People are being made to wait for over 6 months. This is unacceptable. Where is RTSA taking the money it receives from motorists. We are tired of this never ending song of “The System is Down”. Time to fire the chap at the helm of RTSA I suppose. Put your acts together. You are negatively affecting those drivers who cross into the neighboring countries.
@ The Chosen One, I agree with you. RTSA is an agency that is charging the government for all this work they are doing. Where exactly are they taking the money for the process to be taking this long. In developed countries when you go to get your drivers License, everything in done in a day, and right there they issue you a temporally one in a paper form and tells you to wait for the original in the mail within two weeks. How I wish Brian can make this happen in Zambia since he has seen this when he lived in Atlanta Georgia.
He politics less and works more. Thank you Honourable Minister, please continue delivering to your people of Zambia. You are on right track.
Minister I totally disagree with you, Kalabo had a fairly stable network especially with Celz and airtel but since the coming in of Topstar all the networks are but a shadow of former glory. Your so called development has relegated the once reliable networks to the bin. Am sure Kalabo residents would agree with me that communication now is poor. Over the pontoon, how many Minister said what you just said in the past and what have we seen ? The remedy would be a bridge and not a pontoon /ferry which has been a song especially for you people in the government . We need to see results not promisory ntes Bo Minister