News / Local
Zimbabwe flying a plane without a radar - Zinara
21 Apr 2016 at 11:01hrs | Views
Zimbabwe has no clue on the accurate figure needed for road rehabilitation, a development that is affecting investment, Zimbabwe National Roads Administration (Zinara) acting CEO Moses Juma has said.
Juma told guests at the ongoing 5th All Road Authorities Conference on Bulawayo today that the country has been "flying a plane without a radar".
"If a potential funder comes to Zimbabwe and ask how much we need for our road network, as a country, as a Road Fund Manager, as Road Authorities we do not have accurate figure as to our funding requirements which is backed by an up to date National Roads Condition Survey," said Juma.
"Scientific data from this National Roads Condition Survey will also be used by potential funders to determine level of funding and focus".
Zimbabwe last had a National Roads Condition Survey over a decade ago.
"Given hyperinflation, financial challenges to fund this critical national exercise, our roads deteriorated".
Juma said roads are a national asset and should be maintained and preserved for economic growth.
"There have been various figures flying around as to the cost of rehabilitation of the country's total road network.
"Most of these figures had no scientific background due to the lack of a National Roads Condition Survey.
"Zinara has been making disbursements but the challenge has been that we all having been flying a plane without a radar".
"We have prescribed the wrong solutions to what we thought could be the problem.
"Without a National Roads Condition Survey, it is almost impossible to meaningfully make an impact on our roads.
"This is why where an intervention that could be a total rehabilitation of a section you find someome carrying pothole patching which is unsustainable as resources are always directed to addressing a symptom than the real issue in the form of periodic maintenance".
Juma said Zimbabwe has a relatively fairly good national road network with good regional interconnections and and estimated total of 95 000 kilometres of roads made up of 20% surfaced roads, 10% of roads fall under the purview of Urban Councils and 70% fall under the jurisdiction of the Development Fund and Rural District councils.
Juma told guests at the ongoing 5th All Road Authorities Conference on Bulawayo today that the country has been "flying a plane without a radar".
"If a potential funder comes to Zimbabwe and ask how much we need for our road network, as a country, as a Road Fund Manager, as Road Authorities we do not have accurate figure as to our funding requirements which is backed by an up to date National Roads Condition Survey," said Juma.
"Scientific data from this National Roads Condition Survey will also be used by potential funders to determine level of funding and focus".
Zimbabwe last had a National Roads Condition Survey over a decade ago.
"Given hyperinflation, financial challenges to fund this critical national exercise, our roads deteriorated".
Juma said roads are a national asset and should be maintained and preserved for economic growth.
"Most of these figures had no scientific background due to the lack of a National Roads Condition Survey.
"Zinara has been making disbursements but the challenge has been that we all having been flying a plane without a radar".
"We have prescribed the wrong solutions to what we thought could be the problem.
"Without a National Roads Condition Survey, it is almost impossible to meaningfully make an impact on our roads.
"This is why where an intervention that could be a total rehabilitation of a section you find someome carrying pothole patching which is unsustainable as resources are always directed to addressing a symptom than the real issue in the form of periodic maintenance".
Juma said Zimbabwe has a relatively fairly good national road network with good regional interconnections and and estimated total of 95 000 kilometres of roads made up of 20% surfaced roads, 10% of roads fall under the purview of Urban Councils and 70% fall under the jurisdiction of the Development Fund and Rural District councils.
Source - Byo24News
