Government is in the process of developing a new road link between Luapula and Northern Provinces through Musaila-Kasaba road in Samfya, Luapula.
President Rupiah Banda announced this yesterday in Samfya during the celebration of the Kwanga ceremony of the Ng’umbo people.
This was in a speech read for him by Luapula Province Minister Dr Boniface Kawimbe.
The President said Government would construct an embankment at Kasaba that would connect Musaila-Kasaba road to Luwingu district in the Northern Province.
“My Government is in the process of connecting Luapula to Northern Province through Kasaba to Luwingu district,” he said.
The President described the Musaila-Kasaba road via Luwingu as an important route that would easy the transportation of fish, maize and other products thereby increasing trade between Luapula and Northern Province.
“I am confident that once the roads rehabilitation and construction works have been completed it will become easier for farmers to transport their produce to selling points,” he said.
He explained that increased trade between Luapula and Northern provinces would contribute to poverty reduction as the people would create wealth through marketing of their various crops
President Banda also appealed to the people commuting between Samfya and Chilubi Island to use the Post Boat which was the safer mode of water transport and not canoes.
He said Government facilitated the refurbishing of the Post Boat at a cost of K880 million which had improved transportation of goods from Samfya to Mbabala, Chishi and Chilubi Islands.
The President noted that the Post boat had helped to reduce accidents on Lake Bangweulu compared to previous years when the boat was not in use.
“My appeal is that people should make use of the boat to avoid unnecessary accidents that come with use of dugout canoes,” he said.
Earlier, Kwanga ceremony organising committee chairman Eustace Bobo appealed to Government to upgrade the Musaila-Kasaba road to tarmac standard and build an embankment to connect the road to Luwingu district.
He also said Government should work towards tarring the pedicle road, saying the benefits of improving the two road networks would bring immeasurable benefits to the province.
Mr Bobo said upgrading the road and creating a link to Northern Province would open up the area and enhance commerce, trade, mining, fishing and tourism activities.
He said the tarring of the Pedicle would result in increased transportation of goods from Northern and Luapula Provinces to markets on the Copperbelt.
“When tarred, the Musaila-Kasaba-Luwingu and Pedicle roads will greatly improve transportation of produce and other goods from Luapula and Northern Provinces to markets on the Copperbelt and elsewhere in the country. The benefits of these road developments will be immeasurable in the future,” he said.
Mr Bobo further urged Government to consider giving Lubwe area district status as one way of accelerating the anticipated development activities.
He said turning Ng’umbo area into a district would help the area quickly get a police station and other Government departments.
He said police presence in Lubwe would ensure safety and security for investments and investors as well as act as a catalyst to peaceful co-existence between investors and the local people.
He challenged the local people in Lubwe to adopt health life styles, including hard work and reducing illicit beer consumption.
ZANIS
