Road plan to address other social services

By LUKE KAMA
THE K3 billion Sustainable Highlands Highway Investment Programme will not focus only on road maintenance, rehabilitation and construction work, Works Secretary David Wereh says.
He said it would also build other social infrastructure for communities living along the highway.
Wereh said this following the signing of contract documents totalling K658 million under the first tranche to start early next month.
“Apart from the maintenance, rehabilitation and reconstruction of the Highlands Highway, the contractors will also build infrastructure for schools, hospitals, health centres, churches and market facilities for the communities that live along the highway,” he said.
“It’s not only rebuilding the highway but also building other social infrastructure. It is important that our people must appreciate and embrace such investments made by the Government by offering their support to the contractors.”
Wereh said Works had changed the traditional road maintenance approach from short-term project-based approach in the past to a long-term programme-based approach.
“The project-based approach, where we carried out maintenance work on short-term basis and after few weeks’ or months’ time it deteriorates again, is now a thing of the past,” he said.
“We are changing and shifting to long-term programme-based approach where maintenance works can be done on long-term basis with long-term contractors engaged.
“It also gives ample time and resources to capture and support development in social and economic sectors.”