Africa-Press – Angola. One hundred and 12 deep ravines have been blocked so far by the Ministry of Public Works, Urbanism and Housing, out of the 742 cataloged across the country, said, in Bié, the minister, Carlos Alberto dos Santos.
The official made these pronouncements to the press, at the end of his two-day visit to this part of the country, within the framework of the launch of the self-directed construction pilot project.
Without advancing dates, Carlos Alberto dos Santos said that the second phase could cover another 280 ravines, while the third will contain small holes still in the formation phase.
The latter will be the responsibility of provincial governments.
Within the scope of the Emergency Plan for Containment of Ravines developed by the ministry, in Bié, for example, the official said that there are large ravines in the municipalities of Cuito, Andulo, Nharêa and Cunhinga.
Cuito “wins” three large ravines
At the level of the municipality of Cuito, capital of Bié, three large ravines, out of the 38 existing ones, have been blocked to date.
These are ravines in the Boavista and Catala neighborhoods, both in the Cunje commune, and another in Catemo, on the outskirts of the capital city, which together consumed more than five billion kwanzas.
The works were in charge of the company MSTR, engineering and civil construction.
They were visited yesterday by the Minister of Public Works, Urbanism and Housing, Carlos Alberto dos Santos, who, on the occasion, ensured the continuity of this process in the other municipalities of the country.
The governor of Bié, Pereira Alfredo, informed that, in this regard, the province has controlled a total of 54 ravines of small, medium and large proportions, which are being gradually intervened by the ministry and local government, in order to guarantee better comfort of the populations.
Cunhinga will be linked again with Chingar and Nharêa shortly
The municipality of Cunhinga may soon be connected again by road later this year with the villages of Chinguar and Nharêa, with the completion of the two bridges over the Mbale I and Cunhinga rivers.
The works are included in the Intervention Plan for Municipalities (PIIM), which has a central scope, and this Tuesday also merited confirmation from the head of Public Works in the country.
The bridge over the Mbale I river connects the headquarters of Cunhinga with the municipality of Chinguar, in a section of approximately 66 kilometres.
Replacement works are at 29 percent of the level of physical execution, being budgeted at 445 million, 643 thousand 553 Kwanzas.
It is 30 meters long and 11 meters wide.
The head of MOTA-ENGIL Angola, António Alves, ensured completion and consequently delivery in December of this year.
The bridge over the Cunhinga river, which will connect to the municipality of Nharêa, whose works are under the responsibility of the company GRINER Engenharia SA, is at 95 percent of its physical execution stage. The section could be opened this month.
Measuring 11 meters wide and 30 meters long, the work is budgeted at 592 million 133 thousand 870 Kwanzas and 18 cents.
It should be noted that these works are the only PIIM (central scope) in the municipality of Cunhinha, which have not yet been delivered, of the eight projects and two registered actions of municipal and provincial scope.
Population rejoices
The populations residing in these locations were satisfied with the replacement of said bridges, as it will allow them to travel to neighboring municipalities for the purpose of commercial exchanges.
For António Calueyo, a peasant from the village of Mbale, he said that he had been waiting for two decades for the bridge to be replaced, because, to go to the municipality of Chinguar to sell his products, he had to go around Cuito.
The 53-year-old peasant considers the crossing a strategic point for selling agricultural products.
Benjamim Lucas, on the other hand, understands that it is essential that the Executive continue to invest in the means of communication to make life easier for rural men.
He said once circulation between Mbale and Cutato (Chinguar) is restored, trade will be able to flow in the area, due to the fact that Cutato commune has an important market.
Minister assures return of works on National Road 250
On balance of the visit to Bié, the minister of Public Works, Urbanism and Housing, Carlos Alberto dos Santos, assured the return of works on national road number 250, starting this year, linking the provinces of Bié and Moxico by road.
Considered strategic for the connection between the East of the country and the Republic of Zambia, the works will initially be carried out on the Cuito/Catabola/Camacupa section to Cuemba.
The section between Munhango (Bié), Luena, Leua, Cameia, Luacano and Luau, in Moxico province, according to the official, will be in charge of another company already identified.
According to the minister, despite not advancing the total cost of the contract, by 2027 the section will be fully completed.
“This road is a priority of the President of the Republic, João Lourenço, who wants to see improved mobility of populations as well as the flow of commercial items in this important corridor”, he said.
Carlos Alberto dos Santos recognized that the technical condition of the road makes it difficult to transport agricultural production and, consequently, impedes the expected progress of the municipalities in the east of the province of Bié.
In concrete terms, circulation on that section of Estrada Nacional 250 is made with sacrifice, passing through countless holes, between the already saturated asphalt and the beaten earth, on a route of almost 164 kilometers that depart from Cuito to the municipality of Cuemba.
So far, only eighteen kilometers of this road have been paved, specifically between Cuito and the town of Belchior, in the commune of Chipeta, municipality of Catabola.
Regarding this issue, the Governor of Bié, Pereira Alfredo, said that the project was already included in the priority activities for 2022, however, he was hopeful with the start of work later that year, given the concern of the Executive Branch.
For the governor of Bié, the recovery of this section is the great expectation of the population, which is why he asked for the trust of the citizens, reaffirming the construction of the 164 kilometers still in this five-year period (2023/2027).
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