Road Fund administrators praise Namibia’s road infrastructure
Chief Executive Officers and representatives from Southern African neighbouring Road Fund Administrators beside the B1 connecting Windhoek to Okahandja.
Chief Executive Officers and representatives from Southern African neighbouring Road Fund Administrators met to share best practices on road fund administration and road financing models.
The meeting highlighted the urgent need for effective stakeholder engagement, in order to deliver value for money to road users. Speaking at the closing ceremony, Mr. Ali Ipinge, Chief Executive Officer of Road Fund Administration emphasised the importance of creating linkages and integration between road infrastructure with other transport infrastructure.
“We have a long way to go to make sure that we have efficient road fund services, progress has been made to create value for money for the road users, but more needs to be done,” said Ipinge.
The team of Road Fund Administrator Chief Executive Officers agreed to a statement by the Chairman of the Southern African Focal Group, Eng. Juma that stakeholder confidence has improved due to implementation of key recommendations made at the Group meetings such as the one held in Windhoek. Tuesday morning saw the delegates drive to the coast to visit Namibia’s flagship port in Walvis Bay which included a short tour of the road work project between Windhoek and Okahandja. The trip west provided the delegates with first-hand experience of Namibia’s unique salt road between Swakopmund and Walvis Bay as well as a visit to the Walvis Weighbridge.
Delegates were impressed with the quality of Namibia’s transport infrastructure and took some good ideas on road planning, design, maintenance and funding and efficient allocation of these resources towards road development and maintenance.
Countries represented at the meeting included Namibia, Lesotho, Comoros, Mozambique, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Madagascar and Malawi.
