Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA’s) pre-handover inspection team has examined and approved the quality of construction work done on the section of the Hoima-Butiaba-Wanseko Road.
The team led by Eng Chris Manyindo said that construction of the 33.4km section of the 111km road stretch has been done on good quality and compliance.
However, Mr Manyindo directed Chongqing International Construction Corporation (CICO) – contractor of the road to “do some polishing work to fully clear the road reserve, complete the road markings at Kigorobya” in Hoima district and the drainage channel within two weeks before it is issued with a certificate of completion.
With partial funding from the government of Uganda and the Exim Bank of China, the US$179m-Hoima-Butiaba-Wanseko Road project broke ground in April 2018. The project is expected to be completed in April next year.
Physical progress of the entire work stands at about 55.7% compared to the planned 63.02%.
CICO deputy head of the project, Eng Mao Jiawei, said that the delay was “a result of some unavoidable challenges including cash flow and land acquisition issues.”
Mr Ronald Olaki, the resident engineer said that UNRA continuously engaged some land owners sensitising them about the socio-economic importance of the road with some giving way for the construction of the road while others did not.
The engineer urged the Authority to hasten the compensation process in order to avoid any future complications.
Mr Jiawei, CICO’s engineer said that the company is committed to ensuring that “the road is completed on time and handed over within the contractual period despite the many challenges being faced”.
The Hoima-Butiaba-Wanseeko Road is one of the critical oil roads forming a major backbone to the infrastructure meant to facilitate oil exploration in the Albertine region as well as tourism due to proximity of high-interest areas such as Murchison Falls National Park.
