Ethiopia Roads Authority concluded agreements worth a total of 2.8 billion Birr with 4 different companies for projects found in 4 different states. 3 of the parties to the contracts are local firms while 1 is a foreign firm.
The companies are CGC Overseas construction Eth Ltd., Powercon Construction Plc, Yemane Girmay General Contractor and Melkon Construction Plc. The projects on the other hand are namely hambu-Backo, Dabat Agire, Worhabe-Bojober and Melka Gebdu-Dire Dawa and they are located in Oromia, Amhara and Southern Nations. Nationalities & People’s (SNNP) states, and the Dire Dawa City Administration, respectively.
According to Fortune, the road projects were primarily part of the first Growth and Transformation Plan (GTP I). From all the projects Shambu-Backo, located in west of Ethiopia’s capital, is the biggest of the projects and it is worth close to 1 billion Birr. Chinese CGC Overseas will be upgrading 60.2 kilometers gravel road to asphalt concrete. For this project Kekor Consulting along with a Lebanese Consulting firm, Kahitin & Alamin Consulting Engineers SAL, are hired by the Authority as consultants of the projects.
According to Fortune the project includes road that is 10 meters wide in rural portions and 19 meters wide in urban areas. It also includes 10 new bridges and 127 water outlets. The newspaper further explained the aim of the project is transporting sugar from Fincha Sugar Factory to the west and north-west parts of the Ethiopia.
Shambu-Backo is expected to be concluded in 3 years time and financed by Arab Bank, OPEC and the Government of Ethiopia.
Dabat-Agire road in the north Gondar Zone of Amhara State, on the other hand, will be constructed by Powercon. The agreement is said to be worth 931.3 million Birr, which will be entirely covered by the Ethiopian government, and the road will stretch for 43.2 kilometers. Upon completion the road will connect Dabat District with Tegde District, and pass through the Arber, Guchreb, Ayirfada, Aditwalge and Aragi kebeles. Nonetheless, a consultant has not been appointed until now.
Powercon is expected to finish and deliver the project in 3 years time.
Yemane Girmay will be constructing Worhabe – Bojober, which is 38.5 kilometers. The contract is worth 458.4 million Birr and it will be funded by the federal government. From the 38.5 kilometers 32.5 kilometers of road will be gravel road. This project is also expected to be concluded in 3 years and connect Addis Abeba-Worabe Hossana main road to the Butagira-Gubra road.
Melakagebdu-Dire Dawa road is going to be constructed by Melkon and it scheduled to be completed in 18 months. The road is going to stretch 7.4 kilometers and it will be financed by the Ethiopian government. Once the construction of the road is completed it is expected to help farmers around Dire Dawa to transport their products to industries in the city.
Source: Fortune
