EDITOR — Youth Forum Chiredzi chairperson, Marko Shoko has called for the Chisumbanje Ethanol Project to plough back into the community through the construction and maintenance of the road network so as to reduce road carnages.
Shoko said it is very sad that the community is losing a lot of lives due to road carnages as the Chisumbanje highway has all of a sudden become too busy with haulage trucks ferrying ethanol daily and thus traffic enforcement is critically needed.
Recently a Chisumbanje road accident claimed the lives of more than 20 people.
The victims died a painful death as they were burnt in the fireball that ensued after a Green Fuel haulage truck loaded with ethanol collided head on with a Mazda T35 truck ferrying mourners.
A holistic approach which involves all stakeholders should be effected to ensure that as the nation benefits from the production of ethanol in Chisumbanje, lives need to be protected in the event of disasters of such magnitude.
Youth Forum reminds the responsible authorities that the establishment of the ethanol plant meant that disaster management systems must also have been put in place and calls for the speedy development of life-saving facilities such as hospitals and fire tenders.
Youth Forum urges the government, through the relevant ministry, to upgrade the Chisumbanje highway as some parts of the road have potholes.
Meanwhile the Youth Forum membership in Chiredzi has also implored the Chisumbanje Ethanol project to prioritise the young people from around their community for employment opportunities so as to empower them.
Youth Forum Information and Publicity Department.