By NCHIMUNYA MIYOBA
Traders at Kitwe’s biggest market Chisokone have bemoaned the poor workmanship of the newly built Edgar Chagwa Lungu market shelters and drainage system.
The traders who didn’t want to be named took advantage of the Minister of Local Government Charles Banda’s tour of the market and complained that the newly built Edgar Chagwa Lungu shelters leak despite huge sums of money spent on the construction.
The traders complained that there is need to extend the roofs of shelters to avoid further loss of the goods that get swept away by the water when drainages fill up during the rains.
They wondered how the contractor AVIC international who is working on the famous one way street in Chisokone decided to put up spoon drainages instead of the normal deep drainage system.
Local Government Minister Charles said Chisokone market in its current state was not conducive for doing business especially with the onset of the rains.
“It is a misery for the people to continue trading in the market in shelters which were not properly done. We will have to seat down with our colleagues and the council to remedy the situation, “he said.
Mr Banda who was disappointed by state of drainage system said the contractor AVIC international contracted to work on the famous one way street in Chisokone and the drainage system did not do a good job as water keeps getting collected in the market instead of been taken away through a good drainage system.
The Minister assured traders that works will commerce on Monday to work on the leakages on the shelters and has since directed the local authority to procure materials that is needed as the money is readily available.
He added that Government is concerned with the state of infrastructure of markets and bus stations in the country hence the need to improve the infrastructure.
He disclosed that Government will soon embark on the rehabilitation of all markets in the country including bus stations.
The Minister who was in the company of the directors from the ministry, Kitwe Mayor Christopher Kangombe, Kitwe District Commissioner Binwell Mpundu toured KMB, Chisokone market and Oxford bus stations among others.
