The Prime Minister, Luc Adophe Tiao, after his second visit to the Koudougou-Dédougou road: "EBOMAF has lost good work with quality means"

Before leaving the Koudougou-Dédougou road construction site, the Head of Government made an uncompromising assessment of his second inspection of the works. While reaffirming his general satisfaction and encouraging EBOMAF for the good work done, he made recommendations in order to further boost the construction site and dispel concerns regarding the effective observance of the deadline. He promised to come back in six (6) months.

• What is your general appreciation after this inspection which is actually your second visit to this site?

• My first visit to this site dates back to Friday, June 10, 2011. In its time, I was able to measure the progress of the work. Six months after this trip, I made a few more observations. Overall, we feel that work is moving forward. The first 20 kilometres of the already paved track on which we travelled to better observe and appreciate shows that this road will have a very nice roadway. According to the engineers and technicians of the Master of Works, the Ministry of Infrastructure and De-enclavement, the latter meets international standards.

We also saw the work done in the city of Dédougou. These various roads and networks (VRD) are very well executed. The population probably appreciated the condition of the roadway, its width, the quality of the works. We also found that the construction of art works is well underway. Compared to what we first visited in June 2011, there is a certain evolution. It seems that we are almost 80% of the evolution between these two passages. The earthworks are over. Strengthening of the roadway is under way.

• What is your opinion of the company that is committed to the task on this ambitious project?

We must have the courage to recognize it without detour: EBOMAF plays its part in the construction of this path. She's really pulling her pin from the game. The company has many quality means to win this challenge. It stands out and differs from many of the national companies whose main reproach and the major handicap to succeed in this kind of construction project are, unfortunately, their human, material and technical incapacity to bear the weight of the work.

In spite of these advantages, which I have welcomed, I have pointed out to EBOMAF and to the monitoring mission, CINCAT, some concerns related to meeting the deadline. It is true that the construction site is well conducted and knows a good training. The work is very well done. But this must not lose sight, the target date that is the horizon of March 2013. Meeting this deadline is crucial. I very much fear that it will not be held up if more pressure is not put on the stakeholders at the site. The call to order is necessary otherwise there may be some problems. In exchange, the company and control seem to be a bit of a rejection of responsibility. I therefore suggested that they will meet very quickly in Ouagadougou to try to review the work schedule in order to work together to ensure that the deadline is respected.

• What steps would you take to secure the works already ready on the road because the contractor has raised concerns about their safeguarding?

• The company expressed its great and legitimate concern that once the panels were installed, they were torn off by the people. This is an incompatibility for which I call for local authorities close to the axis under construction to invest in awareness-raising actions to prevent the signs used to orient users from disappearing overnight by the fault of the residents. Measures must necessarily be taken to ensure the safety of the equipment and the various panels throughout the carriageway.

• What particular message do you have about EBOMAF and its CEO?

• Before leaving this building, I would like to offer my encouragement to the contractor. He did a remarkable job on this site. My point is that he is simply doing a good job. Only, I recommend that she go even faster. To do this, I also encourage the mission to make further efforts to adapt to the new pace of work. Because the contractor has raised concerns because the control and oversight firm does not have sufficient staff to keep up with the pace of work at the site. Personally, I know the firm on this site, which so far gives complete satisfaction. In their common desire to carry out their various tasks, it is therefore necessary that the company and the control office meet together to grant their violins. This requires good work planning and follow-up. If we go in that direction, we can complete the work in a year and a half as planned.

Overall, this second inspection is a general satisfaction. I promise to return to the construction site again in six months to see the progress made from there. The current level of achievement is already good. But as we like to say at home,"It's good but it didn't happen". We must therefore redouble our efforts because this project is a national issue that is expected by an entire nation.

From the reorganization that the company and control will carry out, things will probably go faster. It is up to the company to encourage or put workers to work. I have told the entrepreneur who has a real will to speed up the work that it may happen that some people do not like to do the job. The rigor must therefore be put on the site so that everyone plays their card thoroughly for the completion of the infrastructure in time. The project of the National Road 14, Koudougou-Dédougou is a large construction site that requires many sacrifices and work. Young people who were able to get a job on the site must actually work, and I encourage them to do so.

Comments collected on the RN 14 project by SSH