Egypt is set to construct 20 new cities of the fourth generation in bid to improve life quality, increase residential area and absorb population surge in the most populous Arab country.
Egyptian Prime Minister Mostapha Madbouly, confirmed the reports and said that the county’s new Urban Communities Authority of the Ministry of Housing will build the cities in a total area 243,600 hectares and is expected to accommodate about 30 million people.
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Fourth generation cities
These new cities will be located in the provinces of Cairo, Giza, Qalyubia, Matrouh, Daqahliya, Beheira, Port Said, North Sinai, Beni Suef, Minya, Assiut, Qena, Luxor and Aswan, while the largest such city is the New Administrative Capital, east of the capital Cairo.
Cairo-based planning expert, Saif al-Ddin Farag, said that the fourth generation cities are integrated cities in terms of availability of services and the use of advanced technologies in infrastructure and facilities.
“The establishment of 20 fourth-generation cities is a good start. Egypt certainly needs to build these cities, using the latest technologies to provide a better life to Egyptians in addition to providing millions of jobs, as only 7% of Egypt’s territory is currently occupied. The establishment of the new cities will attract and redistribute people across the country,” said Saif al-Ddin Farag.
Egypt’s population
The new cities will house a new Administrative Capital, distinctive residential plots of land, integrated urban projects and malls, residential projects, integrated urban communities, wholesale market, dry port and a city for craftsmen, social housing units, service projects, seawater, desalination planet, industrial zone and logistics areas.
Egypt currently has a population of more than 100 million, making it the 13th most populated country in the world. Only seven percent of Egypt’s urban territory is currently fit for occupancy. This has led to high population density, especially in provinces such as Cairo, Alexandria and Giza. As a result, New Urban Communities Authority aims to increase this percentage to 14 by the year 2050 .
source: constructionreviewonline.com
Kenya ‘s Embu county is set to inaugurate the new sanitation system set up with an aim of strengthen the city’s sanitation.
Embu Water and Sanitation Company (EWASCO), responsible for water management and sanitation in Embu City, announces the report and said that the new sanitation system is 70% complete and will be inaugurated by January 2019.
The project involves construction of 35 kilometres of sewers of different sizes has been. The sewers will channel the wastewater to a treatment plant in Mukangu, a district of Embu City. It will have a treatment capacity of 32,200 m3 of water per day. Along the pipes will be built 1000 access wells for visits and maintenance.
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Wastewater to a treatment plant
Areas projected to benefit from the system include Blue Valley, Dallas and Majimbo, in the districts of this city. According to Christopher Kamuruana, EWASCO’s Director of Operations, once completed, the new system will make it easier for people who use septic tanks to dispose of wastewater. An additional 5,000 people will be affected by the improvements.
“Wastewater disposal is a “nightmare” for them. Every six months or so, they are forced to rent emptying trucks, at a cost of between 5,000 and 10,000 shillings (between $48 and $97) to pump wastewater from septic tanks. Worse still, household waste is still collected by young people who bury it without precaution,” said Christopher.
Mr. Christopher Kamuruana added that the subsidy after completing the project within the time frame will be used to expand water capacity. This will be done by expanding the Mukangu which is their main reservoir to ensure that more households have water.
source: constructionreviewonline.com
Nigeria’s Kano State Governor Abdullahi Ganduje, has inaugurated construction and rehabilitation of 31 road projects in the State that will cost US $3.6m.
During the inauguration ceremony, the Governor expressed his administration commitment to completing all the ongoing road constructions-both rural and urban in the state while initiating new ones.
“The government is ready to start rehabilitation works on the 31 dilapidated roads in the state capital. The 940 meters stretch Gandu road has been allocated US $184k.
“The roads set for rehabilitation include Nassarawa Hospital, Sheik Jaafar, Eastern byepass-Unguwa Uku, Bompai, Abbatoir and Civic Centre road, Obasanjo Road, Bello Road, ‘Yantsaki Road-Tudun Murtala, Sharada, Rijiyar Zaki, Rafin Dan Nana, Ashton Road, Manladan Kulkul Road, Emirs Palace, Kofar Fampo and ‘Yan Katako-Zaria Road among others,” said Mr. Abdullahi Ganduje.
Mr. Abdullahi Ganduje, also called on residents of the affected areas to cooperate with the contractors to enable them finish the work in good time and also public support to enable the government to continue to deliver the dividends of democracy to the people adding that saying other roads would also be given attention.
source: constructionreviewonline.com
Angola is set to receive US $51m boost from the British government to build three hospitals and upgrade two power stations in the country.
Baroness Northover, the prime minister’s trade envoy for Angola and Zambia confirmed the reports and said the deal will enable to enter a global marketplace and deliver reliable power to millions of people in Angola and also showcase British expertise in the development of vital healthcare services.
“I have visited Angola regularly in the last two years in support of UK- Angola business co-operation, and am acutely aware of the growing opportunities there. It is wonderful that these important projects have come to fruition and I look forward to seeing more in the future,” said Baroness Northover.
Project details
ASGC, Dubai-based contractor will lead on the design, construction and equipping of the 300-bed Mother and Child Hospital and Paediatric Haematology Institute in Luanda, and a 200-bed general hospital in Cabinda.
The power station element will be handled by IQA Group, Paisley-headquartered utility contractor. This will involve refurbishing two substations in the town of Viana, on the outskirts of Luanda, and Gabela, about 100km south of it.
This will be the first time UK Export Finance (UKEF) to support Angola in its projects. In December UKEF made US $30.4m for a new international airport in Uganda.
source: constructionreviewonline.com
Kenya is set to receive US $300m from Cyrq Energy, an American company specializing in renewable energy production, for the construction 330 MW geothermal power plant in Suswa, Narok County, in south-western Kenya.
Nicholas Goodman, President and CEO of Cyrq Energy, confirmed the reports and said that a feasibility study has already been carried out on the site and regulatory approval request has been sent to the competent authorities.
“The first phase of the project will be financed internally, with a mix of equity and debt, while long-term debt will be guaranteed for the other phases of the project,” said Nicholas Goodman.
Suswa geothermal project
The CEO further added that the company plans to start producing 75 MW within two years of the Kenyan authorities’ approval. The overall project is set to take an average of 3 to 4 years before completion after which electricity is first sold to the utility firm -Kenya Power under a long-term 25-year power purchase agreement.
Mr. Nicholas Goodman also a technical team and independent experts from the company assessed the geothermal resources available through a drilling programme and a study ranging from preliminary design to installation of the power plant, planned before the beginning of the project
Upon completion, the project is expected to further boost Kenya’s capacity which already ranks as the leading geothermal energy producer in Africa.
source: constructionreviewonline.com
The first East African inland dry port in Rwanda, has officially commenced operations with an aim of improving the country’s import and export fortunes from main ports in Tanzania and Kenya.
The Dubai-based global port operator DP World and the Rwandan government who participated in the opening ceremony, said the US $80m facility will make Rwanda, despite being a landlocked country, a regional hub for intra-African trade.
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East African inland dry port
The 13 hectares facility features an Inland Container Terminal with modern warehousing capacity, a container yard and administrative and services buildings. It is located 20 kilometers from the capital city Kigali and close to the international airport.
The cargo holding capacity greatly improves efficiency and by embracing use of modern machinery, it reduces logistics. The size and capacity of the port will make it possible for trucks to easily deposit their containers rather than waiting for their assets to be cleared.
According to the National Institute of Statistics of Rwanda quarterly GDP report Rwanda’s imports have increased to US $215m as of August and exports have increased to US $93m as of August 2018. Averagely, Rwanda’s imports runs at US $270m from 1998 to 2018. The increase has increased year after year as companies invest more on capital, energy, lubricants and intermediary goods
Sumeet Bhardwaj, CEO of DPW Logistics Rwanda, however clarified that although the facility is in operation, it will officially be launched between January and February 2019.In 2016, DP World was granted a 25-year concession to develop the Inland Port that has an annual capacity of 50,000 TEUs and 640,000 tonnes of warehousing space.
Sumeet Bhardwaj further added that the company is also establishing a road transport solution that will allow clients to fully outsource their end-to-end logistics needs, including international shipments, clearances, repacking and final deliveries.
source: constructionreviewonline.com
The government of Tanzania has set aside US $81m to cater for the Kigoma power project with an aim of improving supply, affordability and reliability of electricity in Kigoma region.
Deputy Energy Minister, Subira Mgalu confirmed the reports and said the project construction will include a 132KV transmission line that will connect Kigoma region to the national grid.
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Kigoma power project
The transmission line with a length of 370km, will be implemented through Tanzania Electric Supply Company (TANESCO). It will go through Abora – Kidawe – Kigoma – Urambo and Nguruka.
The Deputy Energy Minister added that TANESCO has already conducted a feasibility study for the power project. She said that in line with the county’s 2025, the project will improve social welfare of the people and economic transformation of the people.
Kigoma power project will be funded with the national government, the World Bank and the African Development Bank (AfDB). It will increase electricity access from 16% to 20% by 2024 in the region with over 483,000 households connected.
Tanzania vision 2025
The government of Tanzania started the formulation exercise of developing the 2025 vision in 1995. A team of experts in various sectors in the society were appointed as the planning commission. The vision comprised of 5 objectives: High quality livelihood, Peace, stability and unity, Good governance and a well-educated and learning society.
This vision aims at making Tanzania a middle income country by 2025. It is based on the principle of sustainable development that uses natural resources without compromising the needs of future generations.
source: constructionreviewonline.com
Uganda is set to receive a whooping US $229.5m funds for the construction of phase one of Kampala- Jinja express project, following an approval from the African Development Bank to finace the project.
The Uganda National Roads Authority confirmed the reports and said the expressway, which forms part of the northern trade corridor from Mombasa in Kenya to Kigali in Rwanda, will form Uganda’s position as a regional transit hub, supporting its ambition to propel its economy into middle-income status by 2020.
Also read:Uganda to receive US $69m fund for water projects
Uganda’s second national development plan
In a report, the AfDB stated that the financing will support Uganda’s second national development plan 2015-2020 which aims to strengthen the country’s competitiveness for sustainable wealth creation, inclusive growth and jobs creation. It’s also aims at facilitating efficient movement of passengers and freight across the country to support growth objectives.
The proposed 95-kilometre Kampala Jinja Expressway (KJE), was designed to an expressway standard, in line with the Vision 2040 and National Development Plan II as critical for the economic development of Uganda. Total project cost is estimated at US $1.55bn with financing from sovereign and non- sovereign facilities.
Over 2,000 direct and indirect jobs will be created during the construction and operational phases of the project.
Uganda’s road network is the country’s predominant mode of transport and a key enabler of her trade and economic activities within the East African Community. The Kampala-Jinja corridor has experienced accelerated development over the last 20 years, and currently experiences traffic overload, registering over 1,000 vehicles per hour per lane, with consistent breakdown of traffic flows, according to a 2017 study conducted by the Uganda National Roads Authority.
source: constructionreviewonline.com
Aliko Dangote, Africa’s richest man and owner of Dangote cement in Nigeria, has revealed to be among bidders for Kenya’s struggling ARM; a cement maker company currently under the administration of accounting firm Price water house Coopers (PwC).
The Nigerian business man, without naming the acquisition target; which in his opinion fits the ARM company, said he is in talks over buying it. “There is a company which has operations in Tanzania, Kenya and Rwanda which we are in talks with to see if we can take it over,” he adds.
Also Read:Cement prices to drop in Tanzania
ARM Cement
ARM portfolio in Kenya includes a clinker and cement grinding plant in Kaloleni and a cement grinding plant at Athi River. The company also manufactures imports and sells cement in Rwanda through its wholly owned subsidiary, Kigali Cement Company. In Tanzania, ARM runs limestone, clinker and cement plants through its subsidiaries, Maweni Limestone Limited and ARM Tanzania.
The company has been facing a number of challenges due to severe electricity rationing, inadequate supply of coal and stiff completion in the market.This has resulted to a negative equity of US $23m meaning that current shareholders will suffer a major dilution if a takeover deal is concluded.
On their side, the PwC said the process of selling ARM or part of its assets was being handled by South African banking giant Absa, which was appointed as the transaction adviser.
“Various parties have been in contact with the administrators expressing interest in the company’s businesses and assets in both Kenya and Tanzania,” the administrators said in a report to ARM’s creditors.
More bids are set to be received until December 3, after which shortlisted firms will be allowed to start their due diligence, including interviewing management.
Dangote Cement
Dangote Cement, which has about a 45% market share in sub-Sahara Africa, has long held interest in venturing into Kenya – with plans underway to build two cement factories by 2021.
Dangote admitted that Kenya is on its priorities and said there are plans to build two plants of 1.5 million tones annually. If the deal sails through, Dangote will take over the manufacturing premises, well-established distribution networks, and mining licenses.
source: constructionreviewonline.com
The Maputo–Katembe Bridge in Mozambique, Africa’s longest suspension bridge that cost whopping US $750m has officially been opened to traffic.
Financed by China and built by China Road and Bridge Corporation, the project began in June 2014. The entire structure is nearly 3km long, comprising a kilometre-long ramp on either side of a 680-metre span over Maputo Bay, which opens onto the Indian Ocean.
Its presence will connect Maputo on the northern bank and Katembe on the southern bank. The bridge also plays a vital role in connecting South Africa to Mozambique reducing travel time from 6 hours to 90 minutes between Maputo to Kosi Bay – KwaZulu-Natal’s east coast border post.
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The Maputo–Katembe Bridge
The project also includes 200 kilometers of roads and five smaller bridges between Maputo and Ponta do Ouro, in the south of the country, close to the South African border. The project however faced a number challenges during construction process.
In 1989, a proposal of the bridges was drafted as part of the urbanization policy. The World Bank endorsed it but the project was later shelved after years of unrest in the country. In 2010, José Sócrates, the then Portuguese Prime Minister offered to fund the project.
The China Export-Import Bank (Ex-Im) took over the construction as a loan agreement. A delay in the construction was also encountered due to resettlement disagreement of about 900 families.
Some of the domestic contribution of the construction of the bridge and links roads is creation of 3000 jobs to the local population, transfer of technology to local people and auxiliary projects such as local schools and houses for resettled families.
The bridge surpasses the Matadi Bridge in the Democratic Republic of Congo which previously held the title of longest suspension bridge. Apart from being Africa’s longest suspension bridge, the Maputo-Catembe will also be ranked among the 60 largest suspended bridges in the world.
source: constructionreviewonline.com
SLSCO, a Texas-based company, has won a $167m contract from the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) for the construction of approximately eight miles of levee wall system in the US Border Patrol’s (USBP) Rio Grande Valley (RGV) Sector.
The project is funded with CBP’s Fiscal Year (FY) 2018 appropriations. Construction is scheduled to begin in February 2019.
The project comprises five segments located south of Alamo, Donna, Weslaco, Progreso and Mercedes, Texas, within Hidalgo County.
Work will include the construction and installation of tactical infrastructure such as a reinforced concrete levee wall to the height of the existing levee, 18ft steel bollards on top of the concrete wall, and vegetation removal along a 150ft enforcement zone throughout the eight miles of levee wall system.
The levee wall system will include detection technology, lighting, video surveillance, and an all-weather patrol road along the levee wall.
The RGV Sector continues to be an area of illegal cross-border activity. In FY2017, the USBP arrested more than 137,000 persons crossing the border illegally, and seized approximately 260,000 pounds of marijuana and approximately 1,192 pounds of cocaine in the RGV Sector.
The levee wall system is expected to serve as a persistent impediment to transnational criminal organisations, while still allowing river access for property owners, other federal/state/local officials, local emergency responders, and USBP.
CBP is implementing President Trump’s Executive Order 13767, also known as Border Security and Immigration Enforcement Improvements, and has been taking steps to plan, design, and construct a wall using appropriate materials and technology to achieve operational control of the southern border.
The US Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security. Its task is to manage, control and protect the nation’s borders at and between official ports of entry.
CBP is responsible for securing the borders of the US while enforcing hundreds of laws and facilitating lawful trade and travel.
source: worldconstructionnetwork.com
