Highway cost is what roads inquiry will be driving at

The Okahandja-Otjiwarongo highway will take centre stage when the judicial inquiry into allegations of malpractices at the Roads Authority and Road Fund Administration (RFA) resumes today.

The inquiry’s chairman, Kenandei Tjivikua, said last week: “There are serious allegations made about the process, decision-making, amount of money and the quality of work”. The complete reconstruction of the highway at a cost of N$180 million is believed to be at the heart of accusations that prompted the RFA to conduct a detailed investigation into the Roads Authority.But the planned audit was halted, reportedly under pressure from President Sam Nujoma amid fervent lobbying from opposing sides in the debacle.Clashes between the RFA and the Roads Authority eventually led to Nujoma’s appointment of the presidential commission of inquiry which kicked off its public hearings in November.Tjivikua said that between 26 and 30 people were expected to testify from today until the first week of February, and that the commission would compile its report for presentation to the President by the end of April.Some of the Roads Authority’s engineers have queried the N$180 million cost, arguing that the road should not have cost more than N$80 million.But the consultants who studied the case for rebuilding the road, and senior Roads Authority management, maintain they took the right decision, even though the cost pans out to N$1 million per kilometre.Other issues to be raised in the forthcoming sessions of the commission include the administration of the Roads Authority and of the licensing centre.Board members will also be asked to explain institutional decisions and some of their private business dealings.The complete reconstruction of the highway at a cost of N$180 million is believed to be at the heart of accusations that prompted the RFA to conduct a detailed investigation into the Roads Authority. But the planned audit was halted, reportedly under pressure from President Sam Nujoma amid fervent lobbying from opposing sides in the debacle. Clashes between the RFA and the Roads Authority eventually led to Nujoma’s appointment of the presidential commission of inquiry which kicked off its public hearings in November. Tjivikua said that between 26 and 30 people were expected to testify from today until the first week of February, and that the commission would compile its report for presentation to the President by the end of April. Some of the Roads Authority’s engineers have queried the N$180 million cost, arguing that the road should not have cost more than N$80 million. But the consultants who studied the case for rebuilding the road, and senior Roads Authority management, maintain they took the right decision, even though the cost pans out to N$1 million per kilometre. Other issues to be raised in the forthcoming sessions of the commission include the administration of the Roads Authority and of the licensing centre. Board members will also be asked to explain institutional decisions and some of their private business dealings.