The Ministry of Public Works, Housing and Water Resources (MOPHRH) called together contractors, consultants, entrepreneurs and professional and cooperation partners for a meeting held last Friday, May 10, in the city of Beira, Sofala province. The aim was to discuss the first phase of the rehabilitation of the 508 kilometers of National Road Number One (N1).
According to a statement issued by the Ministry, led by Minister Carlos Mesquita, the meeting aimed to generate reflections on the “Safer Roads for Socio-Economic Integration Program”, whose primary objective is to improve connectivity, road safety and climate resilience in the areas affected by the project. This program will be implemented on sections of the N1.
The minister pointed out that the purpose of the meeting was to disseminate contracts based on results and performance, as well as to present, especially to the national business class, the opportunities opened up in the process of rehabilitating the N1.
The Program covers the rehabilitation of the most critical sections of the N1, such as the Inchope-Gorongosa-Caia and Chimuara-Nicoadala stretches, in Sofala and Zambézia provinces, and Pemba-Metoro, in Cabo Delgado province.
With this workshop, the government aims to introduce local contractors and consultants to the potential work and services that can be used to implement the program. In addition, it seeks to publicize the types of contracts to be implemented, with an emphasis on OPRC (Output and Performance-based Road Contracts).
The previous day, the minister visited several projects, including the Dingue-Dingue water collection station, the water pipeline, the Mutua Water Treatment Plant (ETA) and the Estoril Distribution Center, in the city of Beira. Mesquita explained that the rehabilitation aims to increase the current water coverage rate from 62% to 70%, expanding water distribution in the municipalities of Dondo and Beira.
The demand for water in the two cities is around 90,000 cubic meters per day, while current production is approximately 50,000 cubic meters per day. With the rehabilitation work, production could reach 60,000 cubic meters per day. To meet demand, it will be necessary to invest in transportation equipment and increase the capacity of the treatment plants.
