Zambian Permanent Secretary, Jazzman Chikwakwa, visits the newly restored Post Boat, which provides safe and efficient transport to thousands.
Luapala, Zambia. 30/11/2009.
ZAMBIA, 30th November, 2009 - Luapula Permanent Secretary Jazzman Chikwakwa has said the government is committed to secure the safety of people who depend on water transport in the country, despite the cost involved.
Mr. Chikwakwa said this yesterday after finishing a four hour round trial trip to Mbabala Island aboard the Post Boat, which has been reconstructed at a cost of K880 million.
Mr. Chikwakwa said as chairman of Zambia Postal Services Corporation (ZAMPOST) he is satisfied with the repairs done on the Post Boat that cost K880 million.
He also said that he was a happy chairman of Zampost because during his reign he has managed to put the Post Boat back into operation.
He said the Post Boat was now in perfect condition to provide safe and faster water transport to people living on Mbabala, Chishi and Chilubi Islands on Lake Bangweulu.
He said as permanent secretary for Luapula he was now making arrangements to ensure that President Rupiah Banda comes to officiate and re-launch the Post Boat next weekend so that people can start using it.
He said in the recent past Lake Bangweulu has recorded nasty water accidents in which lives were lost because people were using unreliable vessels.
Hs said government is concerned with these accidents and in order to secure people’s lives it made frantic efforts to ensure the Post Boat resumes operations.
And Chieftainess Mulongwe of Mbabala Island has commended government for repairing the vessel which she said would ease the transport problems government workers and people in general were facing.
She said teachers will now no longer have to be absent for one week away from work when they are out to the bank in Samfya to receive their salaries.
She said teachers only relied on the Bangweulu Water Transport Friendship Vessel which made only one trip on Thursday to the islands and returned on Friday back to Samfya.
The traditional ruler said this meant that teachers on Mbabala travelled to Samfya on Friday every month end and only returned to the island after one week when the boat made another trip to the islands.
She suggested that the Post Boat must have a Tuesday-Wednesday schedule so that teachers and other workers can be able to use the Friendship vessel to get back to the Islands on Thursday and reduce on absenteeism from work.
Chief Mulongwe was speaking when Luapula Permanent secretary, who was accompanied by Zampost Post Master General Paul Simfukwe and other district officials for Samfya, paid a courtesy on her at Mbabala Island.
And Zambia Postal Services (Zampost) Post Master General Paul Simfukwe has said the newly renovated Post Boat on Lake Bangweulu has a life span of 20 years, with regular servicing of the engines.
Mr. Simfukwe disclosed this when he accompanied Luapula Province Secretary Jazzman Chikwakwa on a second trial trip of the Post Boat to Mbabala yesterday.
Mr. Simfukwe said the vessel which has been reconstructed and fitted with new engines at a cost of K880 million has now a life span of 20 years.
He said the boat engineer Lionel Brookstein who overhauled the vessel that had been grounded for about seven years has assured that the boat in its current state can operate for 20 good years.
He said the recommendations of the engineer are that the engines should be serviced every month to avoid over straining them while propeller shafts need replacement every six months.
Mr. Simfukwe said the trial trip to Mbabala was meant to assess the speed of the Post Boat and also do analysis of the fuel costs of operating it.
He said the Post Boat will be officially flagged off for resumed operations next weekend after being grounded for seven years.
The Post Master General assured the people living on the islands of Lake Bangweulu that the cost of passenger fares will remain minimal so that people can use the facility as a service that is safe and comfortable.
He disclosed that Zampost through the ministry of transport and communication is discussing with government to see how the operations of the boat will be subsidized for running and maintenance costs to ensure it continues to service the people of the islands.
He said the Post Boat will remain a service and not necessarily a business, because to run it as a business would put the cost of fares beyond what most people could afford.
And plans are underway to extend the by Zampost to extend Post Boat transport service to Nsumbu on the Luwingu side of Lake Bangweulu.
Post Master General Paul Simfukwe said yesterday that extending the boat service to Nsumbu in Northern Province of Zambia will create a shorter and cheaper route for people travelling through Luapula to Northern Province.
He said that an assessment had already been made on the Nsumbu route, and it is only waiting for ministry of communication and ministry of works and supply to deepen the water canal that connects Lake Bangweulu to Nsumbu for easy navigation of the vessel.
In another development Zampost is sourcing for K1 billion to put back into operation the Post Boat on the Zambezi River to service areas like Lukulu.
Mr. Simfukwe said the people of Western province of Zambia are in need of safe water transport and Zampost is in the position of providing this service through repairing the Post Boat on Zambezi River.
However, Mr. Simfukwe said a lot of safe guards will have to be put in place to protect the Zambezi Post Boat because according to the analysis report, the engines to the vessel ceased due to an act of sabotage.
