The National Road Fund Agency (NRFA) has disclosed that they have collected over K266 million in toll fees in the first quarter of 2019, against a target of K261 million Kwacha.
NRFA Director and Chief Executive Officer Dr Wallace Mumba has says the fund has processed over three million Transactions in the period under review.
Dr. Mumba says they have also distributed over 6,800 toll cards and collected about 21.7 million kwacha through electronic toll fees collections.
He was speaking when NRFA and the Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries have signed an agreement in an effort to reduce the disease burden on the livestock sector that has cost the government in excess of 30 million Kwacha to address.
Ministry Permanent Secretary Dr. David Shamulenge says disease outbreaks in livestock affect the country’s food Security and income generation.
Dr. Shamulenge says this has been attributed to smuggling of meat and meat products into the country, which have not been cleared by relevant authorities.
The Permanent Secretary says the move to enter into an Agreement with the NRFA is therefore aimed at using toll gates as veterinary checkpoints to improve surveillance systems for disease control purposes.
The Permanent Secretary this is going to benefit the farmers adding that there is no cost attached to the move.
Dr. Shamulenge has therefore appealed to farmers’ unions in the country to sensitize their members against the illegal movement if livestock and on the importance of disease control in their respective farms.
He was speaking at the signing ceremony in Lusaka today.