Some road construction projects in the Kavango East Region have hit delays.
Roads Authority CEO, Conrad Lutombi, said these delays are partly due to late payments to contractors.
Lutombi admits that the Roads Authority has, at times, been slow to release funds but has assured the public that they are working to fix the situation and prevent such delays in the future.
During his visit to Kavango East, Lutombi visited four road construction sites.
These are the Rundu-Divundu, Ndiyona-Djaradjara, Andara-Shamaturu and Divundu-Muhembo road projects.
Despite the setbacks, the CEO expressed satisfaction with the contractors' work.
"There are challenges in Divundu because of the quarry. The Ndiyona-Djaradjara as well as Shamaturu, but that is our problem because let's not put the name of the contractor where we are not supposed to. We need to pay the contractors on time. These are emerging contractors; they don't have the money sitting in the bank. They rely on doing the work and being paid immediately. Let's take the bullet, let's take the punch, and let's be held accountable. We cannot push the contractor and say, 'you are not performing', if we are not paying them on time."
According to Lutombi, RA should have paid the contractor 28 days after the project's completion, but this hasn't happened.
"Like for Shamaturu-Andara, since February, the contractor is not paid. How do you think the contractor will sustain that operation? In fact, if it were other contractors, they would have already suspended work. We have started paying, and we will pay on time, even before the 28 days. Whenever the work is done, we will process the payment and pay."
Despite the financial setbacks, Lutombi said the road construction project for Divundu-Muhembo is two months ahead of schedule with a 35% production rate.
The CEO will also engage the line ministry to speed up the compensation process for locals affected by the road construction project.
"If they can allow us to proceed with the project, because the compensation is another process which we do, but it will take time, but eventually they will receive their money and we will make progress."
Mukwe Constituency Councillor Damian Maghambayi is also appealing to the local residents to allow the contractors to do their job.
"I can give you a typical example of what is currently happening in Divundu. People have put stones, blocking the contractor from operating there. So I do not want people to come here and stop the contractor. There are several incidents where the contractor calls me and I get involved."