UNRA Explains Koboko-Yumbe-Moyo Road Works Progress
Graders fixing bad spots along the Koboko-Yumbe-Moyo road on Friday
KOBOKO. The Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA) has come out to explain the work progress on the World Bank funded Koboko-Yumbe-Moyo road.
The World Bank extended a grant of USD 130 million (about Shs483 billion) to the government of Uganda for construction of the road to strategically address the transport challenges affecting refugees and host communities in West Nile.
The construction works on the 103.08km road was launched by the Prime Minister of Uganda, Rt. Hon. Robinah Nabbanja, in May this year.
However, the work delayed to kickoff due to the pending environmental and social safeguard aspects identified by the World Bank.
But speaking to journalists in Koboko town on Friday, August 30, 2024, Eng. Alex Otim, the UNRA Project Manager, said most of the environmental and social safeguard demands raised by the World Bank have been fulfilled.
As a result, Otim expressed optimism that the actual work on the road will commence by the end of September 2024.
He emphasized that UNRA is committed to fulfilling all environmental and social safeguard commitments made to mitigate risks.
“Being that this project has refugees, it is important to be extra vigilant,” Otim said.
Otim, however, thanked the country office of the World Bank for approving some of the documents required though with some conditions which he said are not so stringent.
He noted that one of the approved documents with conditions is the contractor’s environment and social management plan.
“What does it mean? It means that along the road, activities can begin. However, auxiliary establishments such as the quarry, the camp site, where you are going to get materials from, those plans have not yet been approved. So, you will realize that as much as we have been allowed to do work along the road; that is why we are doing some maintenance, that is why you can see machines trying to fix some bad spots but we can’t come out clear and say this is where we have packed our machines, this is where we are testing, this is our borrow pit, so that element is not yet approved,” Otim explained.
“At least we have submitted for the proposed camp site and we are going to now submit for the proposed quarries and the proposed borrow pits. For the proposed camp site which is in Yumbe, we have submitted. So, if that one now gets approved, the contractor will have a home where he can put equipment, and set up an office where people who would like employment will come. So, those are not restrictions but they are called covenants. If you don’t follow the covenants, you can easily lose the money,” Otim stressed.
Otim observed that the outlook appears as if nothing is going on yet they are doing a lot to ensure that the country doesn’t lose all the money given for the road as a grant.
He said they are left with only two approvals out of almost 25 so as to see everything moving on well.
“Yes, there are delays which have occurred and the delays have affected the project implementation period right from procurement, right from conception of the project, and we are having the grace period until December 2025. I would at this point in time say that we actually have one year of implementation because what I see in these few months, we might have started but the real work will catch up like in January 2025 if I’m to be realistic. Of course, we will start, I’m optimistic at the end of September 2024 because those remaining two plans, even the World Bank has seen that they should be approved,” Otim stated.
He said they have taken an approach of having several fronts so that they can work within the time frame.
“Definitely, you can see the time frame is very short, a road like this, you can’t finish in one year. We have also hinted to the World Bank that we will need extension because the delays that have been occurring are delays that are not apportionable as a blame. These are delays that are in line with the stringent conditions that were given to us. Without those stringent conditions, we would be far much ahead by now. So, we have to also be cognizant of the fact that we will need to expedite so that the time that we are going to ask for is not going to be another like three years, but it will be a realistic one,” Otim remarked.
He promised that by the end of June next year, they will be at 40 to 50 percent if the real work starts by the end of September 2024.
Otim said so far, more than 95 percent of the project affected persons have been compensated while more than shs500m has been earmarked by the government of Uganda to build houses for a total of seven people greatly affected by the project in Yumbe district.
Pu Qingtan, the Project Manager of Zhongmei Engineering Group, the company undertaking the project, assured the public of quality work, saying his team is fully set for the project.
Similarly, Edward Mukalazi, the site Agent for Zhongmei Engineering Group, said all the money meant for the project will be put to the rightful use to ensure that the project meets its intended objectives.
The 10 meter-wide 3-lane road is designed for 15 to 20 years without maintenance but it is expected to last for even 30 years if used well, according to engineers.