By Fifi Rhodes
A Chinese road-building firm yesterday landed a substantial contract to build a tarred road connecting Rundu to the recently proclaimed town of Nkurenkuru in the Kavango Region.
After the evaluation of tenders by the pre-qualified contractors and no objection from the co-financing partners, the China Henan International Cooperation Group Co. Ltd turned out to be the successful contractor and was awarded phase one of the Rundu-Elundu Road upgrade Project.
The chief executive officer of the Roads Authority, Erastus Ikela, said the Japan Bank of International Cooperation and the Government of Namibia are co-financing the project to the tune of N$309 million.
Speaking after the signing ceremony, Ikela told the media that this is by far the biggest road project in terms of capital injection and the length over which the project is to be carried out.
“The project will employ more that 250 people from the unskilled market while the contractor will bring in its highly skilled personnel,” he said.
According to Zhang Changping who signed the contract on behalf of the China Henan Group, 10% of the project will employ local sub-contractors and service providers who will benefit tremendously as all material needed will be sourced locally.
The company, Changping said, has an excellent track record on the continent and has already built roads in Zambia, Mozambique and Tanzania.
Phase 1 of the road runs from Rundu to Nkurenkuru, a stretch of 134 kilometres whilst phase 2, which is still under consideration, runs from Nkurenkuru to Elundu in the Ohangwena Region over 236 kilometres.
The phase 1 project is scheduled to be completed within 36 months after the signing. It is expected to be completed by the end of November 2010.
The consultants of the project are a local company Bicon Namibia.
The Roads Authority will implement the project on behalf of the Ministry of Works, Transport and Communication.