Kavango West road construction to create 100 jobs
The construction of the first phase of the Nkurenkuru-Nepara road in Kavango West will create an estimated 100 jobs, which will benefit local residents.
This was revealed by minister of works and transport, John Mutorwa, on Monday when he officiated the ground-breaking ceremony for the 28-kilometre Nkurenkuru-Nepara road.
“I have been informed that approximately 100 employment opportunities will be created during the construction phase,” Mutorwa said.
"Moreover, at least 15% of the contract price shall be subcontracted to small and medium enterprises (SMEs) that are wholly Namibian owned," the minister said.
First phase
The project is divided into two phases, of which phase one will consist of a 10-kilometre stretch that will cost government around N$29.9 million.
West Trading, which was awarded the tender, is expected to complete phase one within 10 months.
“Please allow me to commend the Roads Authority for being one of Namibia’s leading organisations in developing and supporting SMEs and local contractors," Mutorwa said.
The road was identified to be upgraded as part of the low-volume seal strategy, which was adopted by the Roads Authority and Road Fund Administration in 2019.
The road is a direct link to the TR 10/1, which is a major regional trunk road that connects the Kavango West and Kavango East regions to the Trans-Zambezi Corridor to the east and the northern regions to the west.
Currently a gravel road, the road serves a number of villages on the north-western side of Nkurenkuru.
Effort appreciated
Also speaking at the event was Kavango West governor, Sirkka Ausiku, who said, although she acknowledges the effort involved in the construction of the Nkurenkuru-Nepara road, the region is disappointed in the manner in which resources are distributed by government.
“The region would like to thank you for this long-awaited project, as well as the construction of Charlie Cutline and the Ncaute-Karukuvisa roads," she said to Mutorwa.
"Although your predecessors didn’t see the importance of these roads, you took a bold decision to address the plight of the communities in Kavango West Region. These roads are economic roads where we find farming units and will link the farmers to the market,” the governor noted.
Disappointed
However, she added: "Although the region appreciates the upgrading of these roads, the available statistics paint a sad picture as far as feeder roads or district roads in the region are concerned. This situation is contributing to the region being classified as poor, and this is highlighted in the Multidimensional Poverty Report of 2021. The fact is that the region is highly rural and there are no feeder roads. Some feeder or district roads are half done, like Tondoro-Mburuuru, Harapembe-Ncaucova.”
Ausiku said the region struggles to stimulate or grow its local economy to create employment in the absence of basic infrastructure like feeder roads to connect constituencies and villages.
"There is no electricity at all our settlements for small businesses to start businesses; no water connections and no communication networks in all our five settlements, namely, Mpungu, Rupara, Bunya, Ncamagoro and Katjinakatji, not to leave out our big villages like Tondoro, Ncaute, Erago, and others."
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This was revealed by minister of works and transport, John Mutorwa, on Monday when he officiated the ground-breaking ceremony for the 28-kilometre Nkurenkuru-Nepara road.
“I have been informed that approximately 100 employment opportunities will be created during the construction phase,” Mutorwa said.
"Moreover, at least 15% of the contract price shall be subcontracted to small and medium enterprises (SMEs) that are wholly Namibian owned," the minister said.
First phase
The project is divided into two phases, of which phase one will consist of a 10-kilometre stretch that will cost government around N$29.9 million.
West Trading, which was awarded the tender, is expected to complete phase one within 10 months.
“Please allow me to commend the Roads Authority for being one of Namibia’s leading organisations in developing and supporting SMEs and local contractors," Mutorwa said.
The road was identified to be upgraded as part of the low-volume seal strategy, which was adopted by the Roads Authority and Road Fund Administration in 2019.
The road is a direct link to the TR 10/1, which is a major regional trunk road that connects the Kavango West and Kavango East regions to the Trans-Zambezi Corridor to the east and the northern regions to the west.
Currently a gravel road, the road serves a number of villages on the north-western side of Nkurenkuru.
Effort appreciated
Also speaking at the event was Kavango West governor, Sirkka Ausiku, who said, although she acknowledges the effort involved in the construction of the Nkurenkuru-Nepara road, the region is disappointed in the manner in which resources are distributed by government.
“The region would like to thank you for this long-awaited project, as well as the construction of Charlie Cutline and the Ncaute-Karukuvisa roads," she said to Mutorwa.
"Although your predecessors didn’t see the importance of these roads, you took a bold decision to address the plight of the communities in Kavango West Region. These roads are economic roads where we find farming units and will link the farmers to the market,” the governor noted.
Disappointed
However, she added: "Although the region appreciates the upgrading of these roads, the available statistics paint a sad picture as far as feeder roads or district roads in the region are concerned. This situation is contributing to the region being classified as poor, and this is highlighted in the Multidimensional Poverty Report of 2021. The fact is that the region is highly rural and there are no feeder roads. Some feeder or district roads are half done, like Tondoro-Mburuuru, Harapembe-Ncaucova.”
Ausiku said the region struggles to stimulate or grow its local economy to create employment in the absence of basic infrastructure like feeder roads to connect constituencies and villages.
"There is no electricity at all our settlements for small businesses to start businesses; no water connections and no communication networks in all our five settlements, namely, Mpungu, Rupara, Bunya, Ncamagoro and Katjinakatji, not to leave out our big villages like Tondoro, Ncaute, Erago, and others."
- [email protected]
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