MAKOKOU (north-east), November 18, 2023 (AGP) – Difficulties in acquiring sills would delay the return of road traffic on the Ovan-Makokou axis, according to information reaching our editorial staff.
The collapse of the metal culvert battery at pk 28 is the cause of the interruption of traffic since November 12, according to well-informed sources.
According to a manager of the SAMA BTP company, responsible for carrying out the project, this involves placing blocks in order to narrow the bed of the Louli river, and installing the sills to restore circulation.
But the delay in supplying the beams by the Chinese company KHLL is slowing down delivery of the site.
“The goal is to narrow the river bed. There was an overflow of water which caused the nozzles to be chased away. It is now time to install the stringers. But, we only have a problem with our Chinese partner KHLL who must supply us with the stringers. If everything goes well, we should release traffic in two days,” declared the head of SAMA BTP, Joseph Ntoughé.
For his part, the provincial director of Public Works, Roger Makanga, indicated that his hierarchy, at the highest level, wants this road to be restored before Wednesday.
While waiting for the sills to be installed, the crossing is done by shuttle.
According to a village chief contacted on site, a ritual could have been organized before the start of the work.
“Do you think that with such an event, there is no sacrifice to be made?”, he asked, adding that “we are Africans and we must respect tradition”.
For him, the containers installed on the first day, to facilitate the crossing, were swallowed up due to lack of ritual.
Almost a week after the traffic interruption, shortages are already observable, especially load shedding.
NMM/ANM/FSS
