Malawi toll gates project delayed -Minister

Twenty toll gates which were set to be erected on some of the major tarmac roads in the country will delay due to technical glitches and lack of funding, Minister of Transport and Public Works Malison Ndau has said.

Government announced thatMalawi will introduce the toll gate fees, to expand the government’s revenue base and modernise the country’s road network.

But Ndau said the  the implementation of the project  which was scheduled to roll out in January, has been shifted to December this year, as the Ministry of transport and public works is working on the disparities that have caused the project to stall

“We discovered that some roads are no longer worthy to be included in the project and we have added new roads to the list and we are waiting for a progress report from the technical people on the ground,” Ndau said.

Initially, the Ministry was supposed to have conducted all the feasibility studies and identify contractors for the project by July.

Ndau also said what is holding back the project is lack of funding.

“We expected to be provided with funds following the passing of the national budget but the money has been allocated elsewhere for other activities,” he said.

The toll gates are projected to raise about K7 billion in non-tax revenue ,  according to Roads Fund Administration (RFA), the legal authority mandated to raise finances for public road maintenance, rehabilitation and repair.

RFA will also need to engage the strategic partner through the Public, Private Partnership Commission (PPPC) to assist in identifying the investor.

Toll gates are massive cement and steel structures straddling highways and other major roads in a country.

Malawi Economic Justice Network (Mejn) executive director Dalitso Kubalasa said the project is a welcome avenue for enhancing the much-needed resources mobilisation in these challenging economic times.

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