Melkasa-Methara, Abomsa-Dibu road projects face delay

Two road projects, one from Melkasa to Methara and the other from Abomsa to Dibu River are claimed to face delay of construction with regard to the deadline on contract agreement.

The construction retardation of the two projects is recently witnessed during the visits paid by the Urban Development, Construction and Transport Affairs Standing Committee of the HoPRs of the FDRE.

The Committee indicated the weak performance in the construction process of the Melkasa-Sodere-Nurahera-Methara road project after verifying the current accomplishment of 12 kms, which should have been 55 kms by now. The domestic contractor, YENCOMAD Construction Plc is pointed responsible for failing to meet the three years duration of accomplishment according to the agreement, by the Committee.

It was stressed that, the Plc seems not in a position to wrap-up the remaining tasks of the project due to the lack of skilled man-power and all the necessary tools needed for the construction, according to the Committee.

Project coordinator Ellias Yitbarek on his part said; the compensation payments for the investment held lands is still ongoing and that particular situation compelled the project to retard. Even the camping venue was handed to the project lately which added another reason to the delay of the project, according to Ellias.

Project consultant Ato Falmata Atomsa on his part disclosed, 7 hundred 72 electric poles are not removed from the project site and that has caused the delay in addition to the obstruction caused by not transferring about 50 kms of the project intended land.

The project representative Engineer Sissay Jagema  added, the 94 kms road project to cross five districts was started in 2018 with 1 point 2 billion Eth Birr.

On similar news of road project delay, Abomsa-Aseko-Dibu river project is also ascertained to delay in accordance to the time-table in the agreement frame.

The Urban Development, Construction and Transport Affairs Standing Committee verified that the Teklebirhan Ambaye Construction Plc agreed to accomplish the road construction of 60 kms length within a considerable short period of time and failed to do so.

Dawit Woldie, Chief Engineer of the project explained, the project should have constructed more than 60 kms of road within the last two years. Yet, it only constructed 20 kms, which accounts for 44 percent of the total duty due to lack of machineries, the tempting landscape and the contractor’s financial limitation.

Engineer Kenaw Meharu of the Ethiopian Roads Authority remarked against the Chief Engineer of the project. As to him, ERA monitored and supervised the project’s progress in order to assist whatever is needed and couldn’t meet the desired initiative from the contractor. As a result, ERA repeatedly warned the Plc, Engineer Kenaw told the Committee.

Ato Geby Bulcha, Administrator of Asco district recalled, the construction of the road has been the primary request of the community for the last 11 years. And thinking for it, some residents left their places even without compensation payments, the administrator reminded.

The Committee gave advices to both projects and all concerned stakeholders to consolidate and facilitate the construction of road projects so as to finish as soon as possible.

 Translated by Asrat Addisu

      House writer