By REBECCA MUSHOTA –
GOVERNMENT has thanked the African Road Maintenance Funds Association (ARMFA) for according Zambia an opportunity to lead the body for a two-year non-renewable tenure from 2013 to 2015.
The ARMFA has 34 member countries and was headed by Zambia through Anthony Mwanaumo, the director and chief executive officer of the National Road Fund Agency (NRFA).
Finance Permanent Secretary and acting NRFA board chairperson Ronald Simwinga said Government was happy that Zambia had been given the opportunity to head the organisation for two years.
This is according to a statement issued yesterday by NRFA spokesperson Alphonsius Hamachila.
“Government in general and the ministry of Finance, in particular, had rendered utmost support to the NRFA who had utilised the opportunity and honour to be president of ARMFA,  with dedication, service and diligence,” Dr Simwinga said.
He said this during the handover ceremony of the ARMFA presidency to Rashid Mohammed, director general of the Ethiopian Roads Fund Authority, in Lusaka.
Dr Simwinga urged the incoming and outgoing ARMFA presidents to work hand-in-hand to achieve the association’s objective of sharing experiences, information and good practices in the mobilisation and application of road funds for member countries.
Dr Mwanaumo extended his congratulations to Mr Mohammed and his incoming executive committee of the 14th ARFMA Annual General Assembly held from November 22 to 28 last year  in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo.
He urged Mr Mohammed to carry forward and build upon the legacy of inclusive and consultative leadership to meet the ultimate objective of the association and not lose sight of the fact that the challenges were enormous and the expectations were high.
He said he was happy to hand over an association which had sharpened the tools of networking among member countries and made great strides in achieving most of the set goals in the past two years that Zambia was entrusted with the ARMFA leadership.
Mr Mohammed said he was grateful to Dr Mwanaumo, the NRFA and Zambia for the excellent service and distinguished leadership during the two-year tenure of office.
A permanent secretariat for ARMFA to be domiciled in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, had since been approved by the ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia and this would be a strong base for the association to enhance its ongoing efforts to seek new partnerships using the African Union as a springboard.