2008-04-30Staff Report 2 "By Petronella Sibeene WINDHOEK Severe damage to road infrastructure by floods has widened the funding gap in the roads sector already grappling with a serious budget deficit. The Chief Executive Officer of the Roads Authority (RA), Erastus Ikela, said the floods have worsened the condition of roads in the country. This takes place at a time when financing is still a major challenge for the roads sector. Although he could not indicate the difference brought by the effects of floods on this year's budget, already the required rehabilitation programme shows an annual funding requirement of N$675 million to resurface 270 kilometres. This is in line with the current rehabilitation market price of between N$2 million and N$3 million per kilometre. Ikela says uncertainties on funding have prevented the Roads Authority from preparing long-term operational plans. ""By nature, roads are long-term investments and it is unfortunate that we have reached this situation of 'firefighting,'"" he added. Namibia's road network has a total length of 43??????'??" 2008-04-30Staff Report 2
