Govt explains delay in Lira-Kamdini roadworks

The government has given reasons for the delayed resumption of Lira-Kamdini road construction works. 
The country’s road agency, the Uganda National Roads Authority (Unra), said the works await clearance safeguards documents from the World Bank, which is co-financing the project with the government.
“Being a World Bank financed project, compliance to environmental and social safeguard requirements is key. No activity can take place without the World Bank’s clearance of environmental and social safeguards,” Unra indicated in a statement last Friday.
The Lira-Kamdini road is included in the North Eastern Road Corridor Asset Management Project (NERAMP), as part of the Lot 2 section: Soroti-Lira-Kamdini. 
“When approval of the pending environmental and social safeguard documentation, including the road environmental and social impact assessment for the source of aggregates is secured, priority will be given to the Lira-Kamdini road and works will start immediately,” the authority added. 
The road agency further assured the public that the contractor – Mota-Engil Africa – is “sufficiently equipped” and on site to immediately embark on the works.   The interim routine maintenance is ongoing, and has now resumed following the Christmas break that the contractor and his team had taken.
As the works progressed, Unra acknowledged the traffic interruptions on the road due to its poor state. 
“Unra appeals to the public to continue observing the traffic management guidelines that have been put in place to enhance safety, enable smooth flow of traffic and avoid accidents,” they indicated in the statement.
Mr Anthony Okucu, Unra’s Lira station manager, said it was not clear how soon the construction works would commence.  “Originally, in the contract, this was supposed to be rehabilitation work, but now with the state of deterioration, the scope of the contract has been deemed important to change from rehabilitation to reconstruction,” he said at the weekend. 
About the project
NERAMP is the country’s first longest road project that has been awarded to a Portuguese firm, Mota-Engil Africa. The 340km stretch covers Tororo-Mbale-Soroti-Dokolo-Lira-Kamdini road. The project that is funded by the World Bank has very much enhanced environment and social safeguards requirements. The overall construction is supposed to last 36 months. The contract was signed on June 28, 2018 and the project implementation started on August 13, 2018. The legal site possession was done on February 28, 2019 for Lot 1, and March 1, 2019 for Lot 2. The expected completion date was February 12, 2027.