Roads important economic infrastructure, says Dodia

YUSUF Dodia says the construction of roads always adds value to people’s lives and to the economic value of their properties. And Central Province minister Sydney Mushanga says the social and economic benefits attached to the construction of the Lusaka-Ndola dual carriageway are immense.

Housing and infrastructure development minister Ronald Chitotela recently told Parliament that the Lusaka-Ndola dual carriageway, which the opposition had branded is riddled with corruption given the colossal amount of money involved, that it is part of the regional trunk road network covering key towns of Lusaka, Kabwe, Kapiri Mposhi and Ndola.

“The total number of kilometres to be constructed comprises approximately 321 km of the core Lusaka to Ndola Dual Carriageway, and not a single lane, 45 km of the Kafulafuta to Masangano dual road and another 40 km of bypass roads at Kabwe and Kapiri Mposhi, bringing the total kilometres in single carriage way terms to approximately 812 km,” according to Chitotela.

“The road has several interlinks, including the Lusaka/Kabwe road − T002 (144 km), Kabwe/Kapiri Mposhi road − T002 (61 km), Kapiri Mposhi/Ndola road − T003 (116 km) and Kafulafuta/Masangano road − M006 (45 km); and the total contract sum is US$1,245,775,986.”

Chitotela informed the nation that in addition to a new carriageway alongside the rehabilitation of the existing one, the road comes with the additional infrastructure such as the Luanshya/Masangano Bridge; a bridge across the Mulungushi River; a bypass road in Kabwe, to avoid passing through the central business district; another bypass road in Kapiri Mposhi; three toll plazas along the route; one weighbridge; three service stations; an office building for the Road Development Agency; satellite cities; and the Kafubu River Bridge.

Commenting on the ongoing construction of the Lusaka-Ndola dual carriageway, Dodia, an economic and trade analyst, said roads were an important economic infrastructure.

“Immediately you tar or expand the road, automatically the value of the properties on that road goes up, and so the Lusaka-Ndola carriageway will make the properties on the Great North Road to go up in value,” Dodia said.

“However you look at it, people will benefit from the economic benefits that will come with road.”

Meanwhile, Mushanga said he looked forward to the quick completion of the Lusaka-Ndola dual carriageway for the province to begin enjoying its benefits. In an interview, the minister catalogued the benefits he expected from the road.

“From the time his excellency President Edgar Chagwa Lungu launched the construction of the road in a breaking ceremony, we began to see the benefits through the employment of young people and these benefits will continue right to the time the road will be completed,” he said.

Mushanga observed that Central Province was an agricultural, industrial and mining province and was centrally located and “thus the dual carriageway will link it to the rest of the country and make business easy”.

He said the carriageway would also be an economic road that would link the province to COMESA and the Southern African Development Community.

“A lot of people have lost their lives on this road and it is our belief as the people of Central Province that road accidents will be reduced once the road is completed,” Mushanga said.

“We, as the people of Central Province, can’t wait for the road to be completed so that we can start seeing its benefits. My word to the people working on it is to accelerate the works.”

And Luanshya mayor Nathan Chanda says the dual carriageway will add value to the people of his town. He said it was a pity that the opposition had resorted to branding the construction of the road corrupt to deter the government from delivering on its promises. Chanda noted that the 45 kilometre bypass from the road to Luanshya town would open the town to the business community and in turn boost the local economy.

“It will add value to our town, in terms of accessibility, business and jobs for the youths,” he said.

“That by-pass road from Lusaka to the Copperbelt will enable our farmers have access to the market and of course the business community will have access, meaning the cost of farming will go down. So we want this road like yesterday.”

Chanda also hoped the construction of the road would reduce the number of fatal road accidents recorded in the past.