Staff Reporter

Phase 2 of the Emergency Road Rehabilitation Programme (ERRP2) is set to begin in earnest, as Government, through the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development (MOFED), unveiled a ZW$50.7 billion budget toward the project.

The Chair of the Finance Committee of the Programme Steering Committee (PSC), who is also the Acting Director Infrastructure Development in the MOFED, Marcos Nyaruwanga, revealed that the budget will be financed by the Zimbabwe National Road Administration (ZINARA), Devolution funds and Treasury with ZINARA contributing ZW$16.1 billion and the latter two contributing ZW$36.6 billion.

A contact from the PSC revealed that the ERRP2 will focus on the implementation of the Special and Emotional projects.

“The ERRP will focus on the continuation of the suspended projects, those which could not be implemented in 2021 as part of the 2022 programme.

“Ministers of State for Provincial Affairs have been tasked with identifying and compiling a list of projects within their jurisdictions which will assist the PSC committee to focus on critical areas first, such as the construction of new roads in farming areas and disaster damaged areas,” said the contact who preferred anonymity.

According to the source, Treasury already disbursed ZW$1.2 billion on 28 January 2022, and has promised to disburse ZW$1.2 billion and ZW$1.5 billion respectively in the near future towards the project.  In the first quarter of 2022 ZINARA will disburse ZW$800 million per month as part of its contribution.

Meanwhile, the ERRP2’s main focus is road resealing, road rehabilitation and construction, gravelling, spot re-graveling, drainage structure construction and repair, wash away and gully reclamation, erosion works and drain, vegetation clearing and pothole patching.