THAT Government has commissioned the first-ever climate-resilient gravel road which will connect Southern and Central provinces is not only progressive but evidence of Government’s commitment to addressing adverse impacts of climate change.
Construction of the 247.5 kilometre Kalomo-Dundumwezi- Ngoma-Itezhi-Tezhi road is also evidence that Government under the leadership of President Lungu is dedicated to taking development to all parts of the country.
It is elating that the President has shown true and mature leadership by taking development to Dundumwezi, where he received a paltry number of votes in the 2016 general elections.
The head of State has demonstrated that he is a man of his word by fulfilling the promise he made to the people of Southern Province.
The road, which was constructed at a cost of US$20.9 million with the support of AfDB, is a game changer as it brings along socio-economic transformation to Southern Province.
The road links this remote part of Southern Province to the rest of the country.
For instance, over 100 kilometres of the road passes through a virgin forest area that had never been accessible to the outside world.
It is a known fact that connectivity in Southern Province like other parts of the country has been problematic especially during the rainy season due to flash floods.
Every rainy season we hear of roads being washed away and bridges collapsing due to flash floods.
This has subsequently affected people’s access to health, education and trade services and facilities.
It is therefore heartwarming that Government is addressing the challenge of climate change in infrastructure development by redefining guidelines for construction and rehabilitation.
“The redefined guidelines are taking into account current and projected climate conditions in terms of temperature, rainfall and winds,” Mr Lungu said.
This will certainly ensure that infrastructure stands the test of time by withstanding extreme weather conditions.
And as rightly observed by President Lungu, building climate-resilient infrastructure is a good cost-saving measure because less money will be spent on rehabilitation of infrastructure which collapses prematurely because of extreme pressure.
Dundumwezi is known to be a big producer of maize. However farmers had challenges accessing the market due to poor road infrastructure.
It is therefore elating that this will be a thing of the past because the people of Dundumwezi will now be able to transport their produce to the market without any difficulties and within a short time.
This is because the newly constructed road will also provide a shorter route to Lusaka and Western provinces.
It also means that the people in the area will now be able to access farm inputs and other commodities from other parts of the country without difficulties unlike in the past.
The development will no doubt help uplift the living standards of the people in the area through enhanced farming and trade.
It is also worth noting that Government has also sourced funds to support projects in the energy and agriculture sector in the area.
It is now up to the people of Dundumwezi to work even harder to produce more because the way to the market has been cleared.
With the construction of the road and implementation of other projects, the future for the people of Dundumwezi is indeed bright.