. Saili

By DELPHINE ZULU in Mpika –
WORKS on the 118 kilometre stretch of the newly completed Mpika-Nabwalya-Mfuwe road, is progressing well.
Road Development Agency (RDA) senior public relations manager Loyce Saili said the Mpika-Nabwalya-Mfuwe road has a number of challenges but ground works were on the course so far.
Ms Saili said the entire road to Mfuwe had a stretch of 235 kilometres but had been divided into two lots of 118 and 117 kilometres for purposes of easy monitoring and effective management of the project.
“The progress is impressive on the first lot of 118 km by China Henan Construction, the other 117km is being undertaken by Reubex Zambia Limited,” she said.
Speaking to journalists during a tour of the roads yesterday, Ms Saili said the works being undertaken at a cost of K429.9 million, needed to be embarked upon according to specifications and required standards and should not be compromised.
“The other serious challenges involve payments, RDA can assure you that the contractor will be paid soon, we are confident that once paid, the works will accelerate despite being in the rainy season because China Henan is committed,” Ms Saili said.
She said once opened,the route would shorten business hours between Northern and Eastern provinces unlike the current situation where one had to go through Lusaka to connect to Eastern Province from the northern part.
Regional manager Samuel Twasa said the road would also ease transportation of peasant farmers’ products and other beneficiaries were the education and tourism sectors.
Mr Twasa said so far about 30km ground work had been completed.
“Works are on course, so far over 30km ground works which include, clearing, earth works, installation of calverts and breaking the hills to pave way for the road construction,” he said.
He said the hilly terrain was posing  a serious challenge but was confident that China Henan would be able to handle the project due to right machinery it had.
Bari Zambia Limited Consultant Abul Hossain assured that the quality of the road would be to the required standards.
Mr Hossain said the payment challenge needed serious commitment, so that the works could progress according to schedule.