Addis Ababa, May 27 – The Ethiopian Roads Authority (ERA) disclosed that over 30,000 km of higher-class roads were constructed at a cost of more than 64 billion birr during the past 20 years.
Authority Communication Directorate Director, Samson Wondimu, said that owing to the endeavors made to fulfill the public’s need for road infrastructure and accelerate economic growth of the country, the stated kilometers of roads were built across the country during the past two decades.“The incumbent government inherited only 18, 000 km of roads when it overthrew the Derg regime. However, the national road network reached to 49, 000 Km now,” Samson told WIC yesterday in connection with the 20th anniversary of May 28, a day that marks the demises of the Derg regime.
Besides, more than 100, 000 km of rural feeder roads were built through the active involvement of the rural community, Samson added.
“A noticeable expansion of road network was registered at a national level in particular after the realization of the Road Sector Development Program (RSDP) in 1997,” he added.
According to Samson, the improvement of the road sector contributed a lot for the speedy economic growth registered during the past seven consecutive years.
The authority is currently implementing a five-year road sector development program that takes into consideration the five-year Growth and Transformation Plan (GTP), he added.
According to the director, more than 99,431km at a federal level (71,523 regional roads access program) and 11, 212 km all weather roads will be built at a cost of 121 billion birr over the coming 5 years.
More than 60 per cent of the total costs will be covered by the government of Ethiopia, while the balance will be obtained from Road Fund, lenders, donors and other sources, he noted.
Source..waltainfo.com
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