By RABECCA CHIPANTA –
WORKS on the Pedicle Road which had stalled due to security concerns will resume following a meeting between the Zambian and Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) governments.
Speaking during a meeting between Zambian officials and their Congolese counterparts led by upper Katanga governor Jean-Claude Musonda in Mokambo, Copperbelt Province Minister Mwenya Musenge said the halting of works on the Pedicle Road due to the confiscation of explosives had been costly on Government’s part.
Mr Musenge said he was happy with the resolution to allow the contractor to complete the road works as it had been costly for both the Government and the contractor.
“It has really been costly on our part because each time the contractor is on standby, Government has to pay for that.
“Since they brought those explosives, the contractor was asked to provide security for them which has been a huge cost at US$100 per day for each officer,” he said.
Mr Musenge said there were only about 17 to 18 kilometres of the road works remaining from the 70-kilometre stretch that the contractor was working on.
He added that once completed, the Pedicle Road would benefit people in the DRC and would come with a lot of business opportunities.
“It is our desire to see harmony between the two countries so that there can be development. And also a lot needs to be done between the two countries to see how we can develop and decongest the two borders at Mokambo and Kasumbalesa,” he said.
“Once we do this it will come with a lot of benefits such as employment. Since the contractor was made to suspend the road works, the majority of people who were employed had to be on hold,” he said.
And in reaction to Mr Musonda’s concerns on security and safety of the explosives, Mr Musenge assured that the explosives were purely for mining and not terrorist activities.
“I want to assure you that we respect the sovereignty of this country and there is no way we can go out of our way to try and create confusion in a sovereign country,” he said.
Mr Musonda said there was need for both countries to understand each other, adding that the most important issue at hand was the explosives.
He commended the two States for holding the meeting as it had created an understanding to allow for the continuation of the road works.
After the inspection and verification of the explosives by officials from both countries, the explosives were handed over to Mr Musenge who received them on behalf of the contractor.