Africa-Press – Zambia. Infrastructure, Housing and Urban Development Minister Charles Milupi has assured the people of Lukulu district in Western Province that government will look into their plight of upgrading the Katunda-Lukulu-Watopa Road.
Speaking during the launch of Lukulu Road Development Advocacy Group in Lusaka yesterday, Mr Milupi bemoaned the poor state of the road owing to neglect by previous regimes. He described the road as an important economic link between Western Province and the rest of the country.
The Minister said the construction of the road to an all-weather bituminous quality road will spur economic activity for the locals which will in turn translate to national development.
Mr Milupi says Western Province possesses massive potential to contribute to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP). “When upgraded, this road will unlock the productive energy of the people of Lukulu to increase productivity in agriculture and other sectors of the economy,” he said.
The Minister further commended the organisation for the constructive engagement with his office over a development issue of such magnitude. And speaking at the same event, Lukulu Road Development Advocacy Group Chairman Alfarh Mundia said the project has been initiated to supplement the development efforts of parliamentarians in the area.
Mr Mundia said the Lukulu-Katunda-Watopa road has been in a deplorable state since independence hence the urgent need for a major improvement. He said tarring the road will contribute positively towards socio-economic development of the indigenous with a spillover effect to the rest of the country.
“We envision a road where we transport our goods and produce without them getting damaged on the way, a road where our people can enjoy the comfort of luxury passenger buses because bus owners will begin to operate on our road knowing their brand new Marcopolo buses will not break down due to the bad road,” Mr Mundia said.
And Lukulu East Member of Parliament Christopher Kalila bemoaned the lack of infrastructure development in Western Province in the past. Mr Kalila is hopeful that the situation will change with the UPND government now in place.
He said Western Province is strategically located to contribute towards economic development not only to Zambia but to the southern African region as well.
“So many trucks delivering Copper and other products are preferring to use this route, meaning our province is strategically located in the SADC region to be able to play a very big role in the transportation of goods and services especially Copper from the North Western Province,” he said.
