LACK of funding could stall servicing of roads leading to the proposed site for the new capital in Mt Hampden ahead of the construction of a new Parliament Building early next year.
BY BLESSED MHLANGA
Transport minister Joram Gumbo yesterday said lack of financial resources was holding up his team from completing road surveying works at a cost of $300 000 before road construction resumed.
“We can complete the survey work in a space of two weeks and then three months to do the road construction. This will include widening the Old Mazowe Road and connecting the site, but we have not yet been given the money by the Ministry of Local Government,” he said.
Gumbo said Treasury had released the $300 000 to the Local Government ministry, but it was yet to be forwarded to his ministry, thereby stalling works.
Gumbo said he was not yet sure how much was needed to construct the roads, saying the cost could only be ascertained following a comprehensive survey.
However Local Government minister Saviour Kasukuwere said road works would cost his ministry $3 million.
Kasukuwere, who joined Gumbo for a tour of the site to assess work towards the road construction, said his ministry had since disbursed the money for surveying of roads.
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“We have since transferred the money to the Transport ministry and they will soon have the money. We want the roads to be completed by next year so that construction of the new Parliament Building can start,” he said.
Kasukuwere said government had reached an agreement with the Chinese government for the construction of the $200 million new Parliament whose works were expected to begin early next year.
“We have already sunk 20 boreholes, but we are going to connect six for the supply of water for construction, which should begin early next year after roads are completed,” he said.
The survey team from the Transport ministry, which was at the site, told the ministers that if works were to be completed in two weeks they needed to hire extra manpower.
Two major roads will link the current central business district to the new city with one road connecting from Old Mazowe Road.
