The Road Fund Administration (RFA) has vowed to prioritise the urgent repairs of all flood-damaged roads in the northern parts of the country.

This was said by RFA Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Ali Ipinge, at the handover event of N.dollars 600 000 to the three flood-affected regions of Oshana, Ohangwena and Omusati at Oshakati on Tuesday.

“We are aware that the effects of the flood will take time to overcome long after the water has subsided, and from the RFA’s side, roads that have been washed away or damaged and drilled with potholes will be rehabilitated in due course,” said Ipinge.

In an interview with Nampa on Wednesday, RFA’s spokesperson, Scheifert Shigwedha, said that the damaged roads have been identified but that the cost of repair and budget allocation is yet to be established.

“RFA remains committed to finding alternative means to optimise much-needed funding for the maintenance and upkeep of our globally-rated quality roads,” noted Ipinge.

Moreover, Ipinge called upon all the regional stakeholders and the public at large to support the innovation efforts by RFA that will augment the traditional Road User Charges (RUCs).

“So we are faced with global disruption in vehicle and mobility technology, coupled with the emergency of fuel-efficient vehicles and electric cars, which by the way are already on our roads,” he said.

Ipinge emphasised that this will lead to massive shrinkage of the fuel revenue income of up to 55 per cent of the RFA annual revenue.

The RFA in the upcoming months will be conducting stakeholder engagement sessions across the country to obtain public input in the potential development of tolling in Namibia in the form of RUCs.

Source: The Namibian Press Agency