The
advanced state of degradation of access roads in the district of Sanga, Niassa
province, northern Mozambique, is already making communication by road between
the district headquarters and the administrative posts difficult, and the
situation is expected to worsen in the coming months. The administrative
division, which is about 50 kilometers from the city of Lichinga, has four
administrative posts: Lussimbece, Unango, Macaloge, and Matchedje.
The
unpaved road network is only found in the Licole-Unango section, but it is currently
also in a poor state due to the potholes that are taking up a significant part
of the space.
Transporters,
traders, and residents of the administrative posts of Macaloge and Matchedje
were unanimous in stating that this year, when the rains become more abundant,
the situation will be extremely difficult.
According
to the interlocutors, due to the severe degradation observed in the early days
of the rainy season, road connections between the administrative posts and the
localities are being made through alternative means, such as motorcycles, which
limits the mobility of people and goods to the interior.
"One
can notice cargo trucks stuck on the roads, some of them taking up to a week to
reach their destination due to the degradation of the roads. This year, the
situation is even worse, as no maintenance has been carried out," lamented
Jamal Cassamo.
Following
his concern, he highlighted the economic importance of the road section from
Licole to the city of Lichinga. "This road extends to the border with
neighboring Tanzania. Additionally, many trucks with large loads are
transporting maize from Tanzania to Mozambique this year, as well as vehicles
imported from Japan, purchased over the internet."
For
this reason, there is great concern among traders and the general population,
as there will be a reduced supply of basic necessities, particularly in remote
areas, which will drive up the cost of living for the population, concluded the
source.
On
the night of December 18, for example, a truck being towed entered under the
bridge over the Malivangua river, where President Nyusi, at the time Minister
of Defense, had passed, causing a disruption in traffic.
Niassa's
Governor, Elina Judite Massengele, acknowledges that the economic and social
development of the province is directly linked to the improvement of road
network transitability in Niassa. "That is, access roads and highways must
be in good condition to ensure the safe transport of goods and the efficient
movement of people and goods," she acknowledged at the II Roads Sector
Meeting held recently.
In
2024, the N13 Mandimba-Cuamba road was reopened after reconstruction works due
to Cyclone Freddy, which included the improvement of four bridges, the
construction of seven aqueducts, and 800 meters of reinforced pavement. Thus,
transitability, mobility, and safety on the Lichinga-Cuamba section have been
restored.
In
February 2024, the roads sector in Niassa revealed that it needed 67 million
meticais to maintain some access roads during this rainy season. The amount,
still considered insufficient, would be allocated to improvement works on roads
such as Cuamba/Mecanhelas, Etatara/Mepanhira, Mecanhelas/Entrelagos, the
problematic Unango/Macaloge section, and Majune/Mavago. These are the roads
currently considered critical.
The
same amount would also be used for the replacement of platforms, causeways, and
aqueducts that have collapsed due to excessive rainfall. The Provincial
Delegate of the National Roads Administration (ANE) in Niassa, Oreste Zezela,
stated that the sector has 50 contractors throughout the province who were
prepared to solve problems in case of need.
However,
Oreste Zezela made this statement knowing that the government was inactive. In
that month, he confirmed that there was still a shortfall of 226 million
meticais to settle debts with six contractors, which had not been paid since
last year (2023). In total, Niassa has 7,690 kilometers of roads, but only 907
kilometers are paved. (Ma Mathaca)
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