WORK on rehabilitating of Gizo main wharf and Vonunu wharf on Vella La Vella, in Western Province is set to kick off.
This was confirmed by Jimmy Nuake head of the National Transport Fund (NTF) secretariat and the Under Secretary within the Ministry of Infrastructure Development (MID).
In a statement, hee said, a contractor is about to start the repair works after being awarded the tender.
“A contract worth $SBD2.1m has been awarded to Trades Transformation Co Ltd which is about to start mobilising its staff and equipment to the project sites. These works are jointly funded by the Solomon Islands and Australian Governments through the National Transport Fund (NTF), with technical support from the Asian Development Bank (ADB).”
Mr Nuake said, both wharves will receive rehabilitation of their superstructure and substructure, as well as shoreline protection.
“The specific works include repairs of cracked concrete decks and beams with epoxy mortar, placing gabion baskets for coastal protection and construction of a concrete slab for landing craft.”
Mr Nuake said, both wharves have been damaged over the years by heavy use, large vessels and sea erosion of the adjacent coastline.
“I’m very pleased that the NTF has been able to fund a local contractor to reinstate these important wharves as they are critical facilities for the communities which depend on them.”
This project is one of more than a hundred contracts the Fund is funding this year to improve transportation infrastructure across the Solomon Islands.
“The NTF continues to fund an expanded programme in 2015. We expect to spend about SBD 100m this year and I am pleased to see the benefits safer and more reliable travel reaching communities across our country,” said Mr Nuake.
