By Goth Mohamed Goth
Minister of Transport and Road Development of Somaliland Abdullahi Abokor Osman, visited the Berbera Corridor road construction work to connect the port city of Berbera and the town of Wajaale on the border between Somaliland and Ethiopia.
The Minister of transport accompanied by representatives of Nael & Bin Harmal Hydroexpor Establishment (NBHH) and Conser Consultant tasked with the construction of the vital road announced that the first 10 kilometers will be completed by the month of January 2020 and the overall road construction works will be completed in the month of May 2021.
Eng. Abdikarem Omer, the top engineer in the ministry of transport and road speaking during the occasion said, “We have started major road works between Hargeisa and the town of Dacar-Budhuq which is part of the Berbera Corridor and we expect the completion of 20km by mid-January 2020, together with the construction of the Dacar-Budhuq bridge which is now underway and other bridges will follow in the future.
Mr. Mohamed Yahya, one of the executives at Conser Consultant said, “If God says, this project will be one of the best projects in the Horn of Africa.
Eng. Tayasir of Nael & Bin Harmal Hydroexpor Establishment (NBHH) who spoke there said that the Berbera Corridor would be completed in the most efficient and beautiful way, we said, “We would like to thank the Minister and his highly experienced engineers, who are always helping us in solving any challenges that we face, through our Abu Dhabi Development Fund, and in partnership. We are working with the Government of Somaliland, the Ministry of Transport and Road Development.
“We have been running this project for the last three months and are now planning to complete it up to 10 km by January 2020, God willing we shall start the next 10 km, we shall be announcing and showcasing our work with the completion of each section. We are working to the best of our ability, and our capacity will not be interrupted Insha Allah and we plan to build a modern road with all the features of modern roads.
We are working with six Somaliland contractors, working in different areas, progress on each side, and we want to increase the speed of construction and start the second phase of Dacar-Budhuq to Berbera. , let us proceed next to the building and proceed from Kala-baydh to Wajale. ”
Minister of Transport and Road Development Somaliland Abdullahi Abokor Osman speaking during the assessment tour, commended the various companies involved in the construction of the Berbera Corridor. “We have come here to observe and get information from the engineers on the Berbera Corridor from Berbera, Hargeisa to Wajale, and it is really a large project, so we would like to urge the Somaliland people to hope that it will be completed in the best form. The project is scheduled to be completed by May 2021 (Insha Allah), and work has now been in place for six months. ”
He added,“Although the road is currently being used, it’s imperative that a new road will be built for use while the construction of the Berbera corridor is underway, so in the past four months the alternative road was built and according to engineers, the first ten kilometers of the Berbera Corridor is expected to be completed by January 2020 (Insha Allah),.The road is been built in accordance with international road standards complete with road signs, road safety signs and since the government took the path of building a combined side protection (side riles) for protection against accidents together with the construction of another bridge and we have six engineers on-site at any given time to monitor and to ensure the quality of construction.
The Minister of Transport and Road Development said that the government will not allow any shady roadworks which don’t meet the international road standards, adding that the ministry will develop procedures to measure traffic and freight traffic, so that the roads are safe
“Of course, the government of Somaliland is not going to compromise on quality, so the work is just beginning. God, willing we shall see the completion of this road. We are responsible for repairing it and among the Ministry’s plans for 2020 is to establish weight bridges to deter overloads that may damage the roads.
He added, “The old road was 7 meters wide, and now we want to build an 11.3-meter wide road, with a carriageway of 8 meters, while the other 3.3 meters will be the most modern road surface, and in line with international road standards.
