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Here comes Christmas, beware of road carnage
2006-12-20 09:37:53
By Devota Kabuta
As Christmas bacons one of its negative impacts is always road carnage as millions of workers in the urban centres travel to their regions of origin to celebrate the festivities.
According to the Deputy Minister of Infrastructure Development, Dr. Milton Mkongoro Mahanga, massive road carnage occurs due to poor qualification of drivers.
”The frequent road accidents and massive destruction of transport facilities are a result of poor driving qualifications,” Dr Mahanga recently.
He lamented that most public service vehicle drivers don’t have standard qualifications required from the National Institute of Transport (NIT).
Mahanga described NIT, as a model in the training programmes for drivers.
”Prospective drivers should seek training at NIT to acquire best skills,” he said.
He said the college serves as a technical advisor to the government on transport-related issues –strategies to reduce road congestions, how to improve transport policies and transport sector as whole.
The minister said transport sector was currently undergoing reforms aimed at improving its efficiency and effectiveness.
”NIT is facing challenges to produce experts that could assist in the reform processes of the transport – identification of shortcomings of the policy and the entire sector,” said the minister.
Improved transport sector, he said, would help to accelerate economic growth and enhance the country’s ability to reduce levels of poverty.
The minister challenged the institution to develop learning programmes in accordance with the open market regime coupled with globalization and trade liberalization.
”As you celebrate NIT 22nd Anniversary, make sure you organize yourself to cope with current demands of open market in the transport sector,” he said.
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