The Ethiopian Roads Authority (ERA) has signed an agreement with four contractors to upgrade four roads from gravel to asphalt at a combined cost of 6.1 billion birr.
The agreement, signed on Thursday, will be financed by the government of Ethiopia, covering the upgrade of 299 km of road. The project include: the Hamusit-Este, Chulese-Soyama, Adale-Girawa, and Gode-Kelafo Roads.
The first project, the Hamusit–Este road in the Amhara Regional State, will be built by the Chinese construction firm, Ningxia Communication Construction Co. Ltd. The project covers a length of 76.6 km which is said to be built with asphalt concrete at a cost of around 1.4 billion birr.
According to the authority, the finance for the project is covered by the Arab Bank for African Development and the Ethiopian government. In Addition, Khatib and Alami Consulting Engineers Plc. and Coker Consulting Engineers will collaborate in consultation and supervisory roles.
According to the agreement, the project has a three year construction period.
The second project, known as Chulase–Soyama road project will covers a length of 79.5 km, to be built in the southern region of the country. The agreement was signed between the Authority and China Railway.
Disclosed during the signing ceremony, the project will be carried out at a cost of 1.8 billion birr, which will be fully financed by the government. It was also announced that the project has a three year construction period to upgrade the existing road to asphalt.
Similarly, the Adale–Girawa road project, located in Oromia Regional State, covers a 55 km stretch of road. Hebbe Construction firm was awarded the project for around 1.43 billion birr. Likewise, it was disclosed that the finance for the project will be covered by Ethiopia, and is to be completed in three years.
The other agreement, signed between the authority and China Railway Seventh Group, covers 88.5 km road: the Gode-Qelafo (Lot-1) road project, which is located in Somali Regional State, and will be built at a cost of 1.53 billion birr to be financed by the government.
STADIA Engineering Works Consultant will consult and play a supervisory role for the project with a three-and-a-half-year construction period set for the project.
In a signing ceremony attended by Members of Parliament and other dignitaries at the Authority’s headquarters, Habtamu Tegegn (Eng.), Director General of ERA, has signed the agreements with the respective representatives of the four contractors.
