Wed, 16 Aug 2017 09:16:24 +0000
By KALOBWE BWALYA
GOVERNMENT is working on measures that would compel transporters of heavy and bulk cargo to move 30 percent of cargo by rail says Transport and Communication Minister Brian Mushimba. He said the measures are contained in Statutory Instrument No. 30 which has been concluded.
Mr Mushimba who is in China on business said the process which started in March this year, had been extensive and that all the key stakeholders had been consulted and their input taken into account.
Mr Mushimba said the SI on heavy and bulk cargo was good because it would create a win-win situation for the railway system in Zambia and it will work to the advantage of the business people that transport heavy and bulky cargo by road.
He said it will also decongest the roads that had increasingly been congested because of the heavy and bulky cargo going particularly to the Copperbelt to support the mining activities.
Mr Mushimba said the consultative process was a better document because all the contributions and input from the process had been captured and would be part of the final product.
He said the next step would be legal reviews on the document and it will pass through the Attorney General for the purposes of getting legal clearance before it could be signed.
“If we can get up to 30 percent of this cargo onto the rail, we are going to create about a thousand jobs in the railway system. And as a listening Government, we are mindful that when we try to make policy adjustments and policy shifts or reform to the sector, we don’t do this in a vacuum and we have been consulting and the process has concluded now,” said Mr Mushimba.
And Mr Mushimba said apart from the employment benefit, rail transport was also cheaper than road transportation and safety was guaranteed, adding that the safety profile of the roads would also be enhanced.
He said Government will ensure that the moving of cargo to rail be competitive and provide benefit to the transporters and to the business owners.
