MPs question quality of roads
What you need to know:
- Katikamu North MP Abraham Byandala urged Unra to encourage their contractors in the meantime to make use of private laboratories to avoid shoddy work.
Members of Parliament sitting on the Committee on Commissions, Statutory Authorities and State Enterprises (Cosase) yesterday expressed worry over the quality of roads being constructed by government because Uganda National Roads Authority (Unra) does not have enough laboratories.
The laboratories help test all construction materials in order to meet the design specifications.
The MPs in Cosase led by vice chairperson Makindye East MP Ibrahim Kasozi based their worries on findings of the Auditor General in the reports for the Financial Years 2015/2016, 2016/2017 and 2017/2018.
Questions
The Auditor General in his report queried why most of the rural roads being constructed with gravel and bitumen materials are not tested from a laboratory.
Lwemiyaga County MP Theodore Ssekikubo said failure to ascertain the quality of materials compromises the quality and durability of the works.
The director of road maintenance in Unra, Mr Joseph Otim, said they had moved to establish laboratories at the regional level for the start.
Alternatives
It is a common practice by the contractors working on different construction projects in the country to transport their materials for testing at the central laboratory in Kireka in Wakiso District and another laboratory at Nalukolongo in Kampala.
Katikamu North MP Abraham Byandala urged Unra to encourage their contractors in the meantime to make use of private laboratories to avoid shoddy work.
