INFRASTRUCTURE NEWS
FROM AROUND THE CONTINENT
Cameroon Reducing road costs Cameroon is seeking strategies to reduce the construction cost of roads in a bid to expand its road network. The Cameroonian road network covers a total of 123 294 km – a large portion of which needs to be upgraded. According to Public Works Minister Emmanuel Nganou Djoumessi, only 48% of the country’s national roads, 7% of regional roads and 2% of council roads are paved. Djoumessi has put forward a number of suggestions to lower costs, including resizing of roads to reduce the costs of earthworks and pavements, and refining public procurement with rigorous technical studies in compliance, and regulatory requirements for the maturation of investment projects. Other suggestions included sharing risk through publicprivate partnerships, influencing materials costs and the systematisation of technical and financial audits. Lastly, Djoumessi recommended the establishment of an inclusive roads industry, with a few national champions and the upgrading of categorised and specialised SMMEs, with the ultimate goal of increasing the length of the country’s paved roads at a relatively low cost. Cameroon is seeking ways to reduce the construction cost of roads
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IMIESA August 2019
Ghana Enhancing trade through corridors The African Development Fund (ADF) has approved an US$81.67 million (R1.14 billion) loan to co-finance sections of the 695 km Eastern Corridor road in Ghana, linking the capital, Accra, with the northern hinterland and across the borders to the Sahel region. Other lenders for the project are the Opec Fund for International Development, the Ghanaian government and the Japan International Cooperation Agency, which is financing a connecting bridge across the Volta River. The $113.27 million (R1.58 billion) project covers 60 km of roads, two interchanges and related civil works incorporating community support initiatives to help improve livelihoods in the catchment area. These include the rehabilitation of schools and health facilities, construction of markets and agro-processing facilities for livestock, fish, cassava, fruits and cereals, in addition to skills training. The project is expected to address the needs of an estimated 230 000 people and impact the lives of over 5.4 million inhabitants by reducing travel and transit times, supporting education and health services delivery while the agricultural potential of the rural areas will be transformed.
Kenya Promoting Vision 2030 In an effort to help Kenya achieve its Vision 2030 objective of becoming a middle-income industrialised country, the World Bank board has granted the country a US$750 million (R10.48 billion) credit. The operation lends support to the government’s ‘Big Four’ agenda, which prioritises agriculture, affordable housing, universal health coverage, and manufacturing. By supporting the advancement of digitisation through the creation of the national digital ID and pushing for access to internet services for all Kenyans, the facility will enhance service delivery by the government to its citizens, and reduce the need for face-to- face interactions and corruption opportunities. Kenya’s ‘Big Four’ agenda will reduce housing construction costs by removing major regulatory constraints