UNRA Earmarks 6Billions for Namanve Industrial Park Roads
Abraham Byandala trying on the tractort during commissioning of Namanve Park roads.
The Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA) has revealed that the construction and upgrading of the 4km Namanve Industrial park road is to cost Shs.5.980, 593,017 billions that is approximately Shs.6billions.
Making the revelation during the official commissioning of the road works on Wednesday, the Minister of Works and Transport, Abraham Byandala noted that the project is one of the clear indicators of the success and effectiveness of the Public-Private Partnerships. The project whose works are already on going will have their starting point from Kampala-Jinja mainline via the UIA offices and terminates at the Roofings Ltd plant.
He explained that ,”This project is a clear indicator of the success and effectiveness of the Public Private Partnership policy that was adapted by the government. Due to the importance of this investment and dangerous state of this access road, Government agreed to a fast track the construction of a railway access and this road.”
The railway access was completed and now we are funding the construction of this access road. This goes a long way in showing government’s commitment to not only this project, but support the development of a vibrant private sector and industrializing the nation.
“The works on the road according to UNRA will be undertaken by Aurecon AMEI Ltd who is the consultant and Engineer while Spencon-Sterling Joint Venture is the main contractor in the project. These will be responsible for overseeing the upgrading of the road from gravel to a be paved standard and works are expected to be complete by end of September-2014.
Eng. Ssebbugga Kimeze, the Executive Director UNRA however revealed that although the road according to plan was meant to be complete by this time, the contractor has been held back by unsuitable materials within the road prisms there has been an increase in the earthworks than earlier envisaged.
This to him has limited the progress of the contractor on site. “Now that the earthworks are completed, the contractor shall proceed with the placement of the upper pavement layers which shall go on. Therefore, investors should be aware that UNRA is committed to delivering a durable road that shall go a long way in supporting the various undertakings in the industrial park,” explained Kimeze.
However, Eng. Dr. Frank Sebbowa, the Executive Director, Uganda Investment Authority noted that although the road leads straight to Roofings, this doesn’t mean it is to be used by Roofings alone but other investors within the park should take advantage of the initiative. He went on to commend management of Roofings for taking the bold step to develop the land they acquired noting that the big step has been key at attracting other investors.
“Roofings group should be applauded for being the anchor investors in this Industrial park, the risk and cost take by the investor has been crucial at attracting other investors to put up developments within the industrial park.
Such a road is a sure way of making this Namanve park habitable for investment, said Sebbowa.
Reporting by Prisca Wanyenya
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