UNRA’s Kagina reassures on oil roads, Tirinyi highway

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA) is on track to start the construction of 693km of roads in the oil region.

UNRA Executive Director Allen Kagina told the press in her quarterly briefing in Kampala on Wednesday that a feasibility study and preparation for the projects has been completed in-house and all commercial contracts will be signed before July 2018.

“The Government of Uganda and its partners through the Lake Albert Basin Development Committee (LABDC) set a target to start the production of oil by 2020. In order to achieve this target, key enabling infrastructure, such as road network, must be in place,” said Kagina.

“UNRA is undertaking the urgent procurement with the expectation of signing commercial contracts early 2018,” she said.

Kagina revealed that UNRA is currently upgrading 20 road projects that include new construction and upgrading from paved bituminous standards, covering a total distance 1,301Km.

A total of 27 road projects (1,964km) have their designs ready and awaiting allocation of funds. Design of 10 roads (894km) is ongoing.

Seven roads, including the 49km Kampala-Entebbe Express Highway are expected to be completed this year, adding 450km to the paved road network.

The Authority, currently with 1,347 staff, is primarily responsible for maintaining, operating and developing the National Road Network which comprises 20,544km of roads, 519 bridges and 9 ferries.

THE OIL ROADS

Tirinyi road

Kagina confirmed that UNRA had reinstated the contractors handling the Tirinyi and Lumino roads nearly a year after they terminated the two contracts.

The projects affected were the upgrading of Musita-Lumino-Busia/Majanji (104km) by China Rail which was behind schedule by over 70% and the rehabilitation of Nakalama-Tirinyi-Mbale (102km) by Dott Services which was behind schedule by over 60%.

“After an appeal by the affected contractors, with a pledge to mobilise and execute their contracts more effectively than before, Government made consideration and took a decisionto re-instate them on the two respective projects,” Kagina said.

“Since the termination, UNRA has been undertaking intensive maintenance interventions this Financial year on the roads to make sure they remain motorable, while efforts to have a competent civil works contractor on siteprogressed in earnest.”

She revealed that UNRA is now taking steps to ensure that the projects are implemented strictly in accordance with the terms and conditions of their contracts and in the quickest time possible.

“Government, with its Development Partners, continues to invest significantly in providing a good road network. UNRA is doing its best to ensure that the resources allocated are efficiently utilised and that there is Value for Money for all stakeholders.”

She urged the public is also expected to play its role in ensuring that the investment is not wasted by putting to good use the assets, responsibly utilising them and avoiding or preventing any acts that result in their faster deterioration, like vandalism, overloading, road reserve encroachment and abuse

Other highlights of UNRA quarterly report:

Project Preparation and Procurement is ongoing for the following projects:

1. Upgrading of Tirinyi-Pallisa/Pallisa-Kamonkoli Road (93km) by IsDB
2. Muyembe – Nakapiripirit (92km) by IsDB
3. Masaka – Bukakata (41km) by BADEA
4. Upgrading of Kapchorwa-Suam (73km) by AfDB.
5. Rukungiri-Kihihi-Ishasha/Kanungu (78.5km) by AfDB
6. Civil Works for Upgrading of the 191 Km Rwenkunye-Apac-Lira-Puranga
7. Oil Roads (693km)

 Roads Development

1. Mbarara Bypass (41.66), now at 99.7% progress;
2. Kampala-Entebbe Express Highway (49.56), now at 82% progress.
3. Rushere-Nswerenkye (11.1km) now at 71.3%
4. Mukono-Kyetume-Katosi/Nyenga (74km) now at 91%
5. Gulu-Acholibur (77.7km) now at 86%
6. Acholibur-Musingo 86.4km now at 84%
7. Kanoni-Sembabule Villa Maria (110km) at 81%

Bridge Development

UNRA is currently working on nine bridges whose progress is at different stages and 5 of these are expected to be substantially completed by July:

Road Rehabilitation

Rehabilitation/reconstruction of 637km of the national roads that have reached their service life is ongoing.  This financial year, 3 road projects will be completed (172km).These are:

1. Iganga-Kaliro (32km) now at 100%
2. Nansana –Busunju (47.6km) now at 99 %
3. Mukono-Kayunga-Njeru (92.5km)now at 90%

Ferry Services

UNRA also has started on the construction of a ferry to Sigulu Islands, establishing of ferry services on Bukungu-Kagwara-Kaberamaido (BKK) route, which is intended to connect Teso and Busoga areas through Lake Kyoga. We are also repairing the Bukakata ferry.

Enforcement

This year, the Board launched the Regulations which are intended to operationalize the UNRA Act 2006. These include:

1. The General Regulations
2. The Vehicle Dimensions and Load Control Regulations; and
3. The Ferry Management Regulations.

Effective this January 2018, these Regulations will help the organisation in ensuring that the road assets are managed efficiently, are safe for the users, well protected and are used responsibly. We appeal to the public, through the media to continue familiarising themselves with these regulations to avoid the harsh penalties and so that their objectives can be achieved.