Develop railway system to allow for bulk cargo haulage —Ngoma

Evans Ngoma, a player in the logistics space, says Zambia’s economy will not develop at the rate government wants unless the railway system is improved to allow for bulk cargo haulage.

Ngoma in a statement issued in Lusaka on Sunday said the Railway sector is the second largest overland haulage network after Shipping in the intermodal transport system.

He noted that a good rail haulage can transport 2,400 tonnes of goods and that railway transport does not only move more goods than trucking but also through road transportation.

“One block goods train of 50 wagons by 40 tonnes is equivalent to 68 trucks of 29.5 Tonnes which is legally allowed tonnage on Zambian roads,” Ngoma said.

He said road carnage, accidents and continuous damage to both human lives and over-loaded trucks attribute to about US$350Million annual road maintenance per year.

“We do hereby call upon the Minister of Infrastructure working together with other line ministries to expeditiously consider working on improving the sector, Ngoma said.

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