Infrastructure, Housing and Urban Development Minister Hon. Charles Milupi has observed that the road from Mumbwa/Nampundwe junction to the Blue Lagoon National Park in Central Province has great economic potential and needs to be urgently worked on.
Hon. Milupi has said the road does not only lead to the Blue Lagoon National park but also to two Mining companies: the Nampundwe Mine which produces pyrite and the Iron Mine which produces iron and steel.
The Infrastructure, Housing and Urban Development Minister said this is why government is resolved to ensure that the road is upgraded to international bituminous standard.
Hon. Milupi was speaking when he led a high-powered delegation which included Two Cabinet Ministers and a Member of Parliament in inspecting the road leading into the Blue Lagoon National Park.
The Minister said he undertook the inspection of the road to see what interventions should be undertaken on the road which has huge economic potential.
“This road is very important as it leads to a mining area, a farming community and a National Park. President Hakainde Hichilema is aggressively working towards growing the country’s economy and one way he wants this to be done is by promoting Tourism.” Hon. Milupi said.
Hon. Milupi said in order to successfully attract Tourists in the country, there is need to work on the roads leading to tourists’ centres in the country.
He said Zambia and Lusaka in particular is expected to start hosting a lot of international delegates due to the recently commissioned Kenneth Kaunda Wing of the Mulugushi International Conference Center.
The Minister was accompanied by Central Province Minister Hon. Credo Nanjuwa who is also Mumbwa Central MP, Green Economy and Development Minister Hon. Eng. Collins Nzovu who is also Nangoma Constituency Member of Parliament and Mwembeshi MP Hon. Machila Jamba.
And Hon Nzovu said he was excited to have Hon. Milupi inspect the state of the road which houses three consistencies.
Meanwhile Hon. Nanjuwa said the road is very important as it houses three Members of Parliament.
And Hon. Jamba said the people of the area are comforted with the inspection of the road by the Minister of Infrastructure, Housing and Urban Development together with technocrats from the Road Development Agency (RDA).
Others who were in the Minister’s entourage are RDA Board of Directors Chairperson Eng. Mulchand Kuntawala, RDA Director and Chief Executive Officer Eng. George Manyele, National Council for Construction (NCC) Board of Directors Chairperson Eng. Vitalis Mooya and NCC Executive Director Mr. Ernest Nshindano.
Meanwhile, RDA Board Chairperson Eng. Kuntawala said the best would be to quickly make the road passable and that works should be done between now and October before the rains start.
And RDA Director and Chief Executive Officer Eng. George Manyele assured the delegation that a team of Engineers from RDA would be dispatched soon to carry out a detailed assessment on what interventions to be carried on the road.
Later Hon. Milupi and his delegation paid a courtesy call on Senior Chief Shakumbila of the Sala people of Mumbwa and Sibuyunji Districts.
During the meeting, the Chief said he was comforted with the visit by the delegation as it shows the government’s seriousness in ensuring that the road will be worked on.MIHUD/PRO
