RTSA, RPA seal deal

RTSA CEO Zindaba Soko & RPA Director Boster Siwila

The Road Traffic and Safety Agency (RTSA) and the Radiation Protection Authority (RPA) have signed a memorandum of understanding aimed at effectively monitoring, detecting and enforcing compliance in transportation of radioactive materials.

Speaking during the signing of the MoU in Lusaka today, RTSA Chief Executive Officer Zindaba Soko says Zambia as a landlocked country, the nation has witnessed many companies especially transporters traversing the country with dangerous goods for various purposes including the use of Ionising Radiation to the advantage of Zambians.

Mr. Soko says the agency appreciates the use of radiation as a technological means for medicine, mining or research and other equally important sectors but that the agency is alive to the fact that ionised radiation is a dangerous commodity and hence must be dealt with prudently.

Mr. Soko states that whilst radioactive or nuclear materials have important technological uses, they are equally dangerous.

He says he is aware that some of the transporters are not adequately equipped to transport such nuclear materials on the Zambian roads and some inappropriate for dangerous goods but they are left unchanged because of lack of information, understanding and appreciation of the type of goods being transported.

Speaking earlier, Radiation Protection Authority (RPA) Director Boster Siwila says due to an increase in the use of ionising radiation in the country, it is important to increase capacity in monitoring and regulating of transportation of such materials.

Mr. Siwila says despite the beneficial uses, radioactive or nuclear materials are potentially harmful and this may affect the health and everyday life of the public, workers and the environment.