Minister of Transport and Public Works Jacob Hara has urged Malawians to be patient as rehabilitation of some major roads will miss deadlines.
Hara said this in parliament today when responding to questions on the progress of roads rehabilitations ahead of the rainy season.
He said Government is currently not focus much on fast tracking the projects, but rather, constructing strong roads.
Hara mentioned two major road projects, the Lakeshore M5 road from Salima and Gwanda Chakwamba Highway that are set miss it’s initial deadlines.
“It’s true that we are now approaching the rainy season, and its expectations of every Malawian that we are ready for the rainy season in terms of conditions of roads”
“I must admit that some major projects like the M1 and M5 roads will not be ready for this rainy season, but as i keep saying that we are not building the roads to beat deadlines, whether there are elections or rainy season ahead, but we are looking to ensure that we build strong roads that can have the resilience with the climate change that we are currently experiencing in the nation” he said
On the rehabilitation of the M5 road that took off in August this year, Hara said the works are still at early stages.
“As for the first phase of rehabilitation works of the M5 road from Kaphatenga to Benga, we have been working on drainage structures to makesure we widen all the sections that have been prone to wash away”
“the other one from Benga to Dwangwa, it’s a section that we are yet to hand over to a contractor because we are now waiting for a new objection from African Development Bank (AfDB), once we get new objection we will move on to the contractor, but I must admit that it will not be ready for this rainy season”
On the Gwanda Chakwamba Highway, Hara said the first phase of project stalled due to lack of funds.
“The project stalled in the first phase when we were working on box culverts and bridges, we didn’t finish them because we lacked resources, but as we are embarking on this final phase, we’ll be completing those bridges and culverts”
