The Sunday News
Sithatshisiwe Vuma, Sunday News Reporter
THE Emergency Rehabilitation Road Programme (ERRP) will create an estimated 20 000 jobs that will also cater for women and youths in local communities, an official has said.
The ERRP was introduced in October last year by President Mnangagwa after he declared the country’s road network a state of disaster, after damage from heavy rains received during the last summer season. Speaking in Parliament last week, Transport and Infrastructural Development Deputy Minister Michael Madiro said jobs will be created on various fronts.
“The programme shall, through labour-based road maintenance and rehabilitation activities as well as hiring of casual labour by contractors, create an estimated 20 000 jobs for local communities, including opportunities for women and youth. The ERRP 2 therefore, seeks to advance Government’s thrust on community involvement under the devolution drive as well as empowering women and youths towards the attainment of Sustainable Development Goals,” he said.
Dep Minister Madiro said 50 000 kilometres of road infrastructure was targeted for rehabilitation and upgrading which gives an average of 5 000km per province.
“According to the ERRP statistics, as of 30 June 2021, road authorities have managed to do resealing of about 30,8km. Rehabilitation and construction is now at 164,6km, while 874km of road have been re-gravelled. A total of 4 115,8km of road have been graded so that it becomes trafficable. Further, 333 drainage structures have been repaired and constructed. Furthermore, 42 wash-aways and gulley reclamation have been done. Bush clearing has been achieved to the tune of 3 934,95km and a total of 7 515km of road have been pothole patched,” he said.
He said five contractors were rehabilitating the Harare –Beitbridge Road through the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development.
“Using own resources, the Government of Zimbabwe through the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development has opened 158km of Harare-Beitbridge Road to traffic. This road is currently being rehabilitated by five contractors, namely Bitumen World, Fossil Contracting, Tensor Systems, Masimba Holdings and Exodus and Company. Various other works are in progress on a cumulative 130km along the Harare-Beitbridge road,” he said.
