By KENNEDY MUPESENI –
THE newly completed  Mongu- Kalabo Road will soon change the economic trajectory of Western Province for  the  better, National Association for Small and Medium Contractors (NASMC) has observed.
Mongu-Kalabo Road has been constructed by AVIC International at a cost of US$286.9 million and has 26 bridges with the main one measuring about one Kilometre across the Zambezi River.
NASMC president Mutale Mpepo said in an interview yesterday that the long awaited piece of infrastructure would soon change the economic outlook of the province.
“I have lived in the province for 20 years, I know that what has been contributing to the high cost of production and doing business was transport,   looking at the nature of the area but with the coming of
the road connecting Mongu and Kalabo the cost of doing business will go down,” he said.
Mr Mpepo who is also Global Works Limited director urged investors to take advantage of the improved road infrastructure in the province to invest in various sectors of the economy.
“Investors have no excuse what so ever because lack of better road infrastructure which has been one of the challenges, is being worked on,” he said.
He urged Government to continue with infrastructure development despite the cost because it was the only way to bring down the cost of production.
“Government should not relent in its pursuit to improve infrastructure no matter the cost because it is the only way the country’s economy can be transformed for the better,” Mr Mpepo said.