Billions lost on the roads [Archives:2006/1000/Local News]

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November 20 2006

SANA'A, Nov. 18 ) There have been several financial and administrative violations wasting over YR 100 billion in the Ministry of Public Works and Highways, according to the Central Organization of Control and Audit's 2005 third quarterly report.

The report says the ministry failed to implement various strategic road projects, the cost of which had been approved as part of the ministry's budget for 2005. It said YR 3.6 billion were allocated to 20 projects, which the ministry failed to implement.

The report added that YR 104.5 billion, which had been approved for five tarmac road projects, was spent on other non-planned projects. These new projects, however, still are listed among the projects under implementation in order to receive allocations in coming years.

The Ministry of Public Works and Highways spent a total of YR 3.3 billion on 44 tarmac road projects without any financial allocations for these projects in the ministry's 2003 investment program, the report revealed. Other numerous projects received allocations during the same year, however these projects had not been listed in the budget.

The Central Organization of Control and Audit remarked that as implementation of projects in many sites was halted and the completed parts in these projects have become subjected to deterioration and damage by rains and their water courses were blocked due to a lack of maintenance.

The organization reported the Ministry of Public Works and Highways hired contractors to prepare studies and designs and paid their costs, however, the General Administration for Studies and Designs in the ministry is the party responsible for these works according to the law.

The organization criticized the in the Ministry of Public Works and Highways that led to raising the cost of projects and failure to complete the projects on time. It noted the ministry doesn't coordinate with service bodies, such as electricity, water and sanitation corporations.
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