The Chief Executive Officer of the Road Fund, Mrs. Matšepang Sekhokoane, has urged Road Implementing Agencies to strive for excellence in road construction, noting that road users expect high-quality infrastructure and transparency in the utilisation of funds collected from them.
Mrs. Sekhokoane said this while officiating at a Technical Stakeholder Engagement Meeting organised by the Road Fund and attended by Agencies representatives from the Roads Directorate, Maseru City Council, and the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftainship.
She further encouraged the Agencies to take on a manageable number of projects in the upcoming financial year to ensure effective implementation and delivery. Emphasising accountability, she reiterated that, “When roads are poorly constructed, the public tends to direct their complaints to the Road Fund rather than to the Agencies responsible for the construction.”
She concluded by commending the strong working relationship between the Road Fund and the Implementing Agencies, stressing the importance of sustaining this collaboration as it promotes a conducive and productive working environment.
Speaking at the same occasion, the Acting Town Clerk of Maseru City Council (MCC), Mr. ‘Moea Makhakhe expressed appreciation for stakeholder engagements of this nature. He highlighted their value in facilitating the exchange of ideas and insights among counterparts and recommended that such meetings be held more frequently to enable timely identification and resolution of challenges.
Similarly, the Director of Road Network Maintenance at the Roads Directorate, Mr. Boitumelo Dillane, welcomed the engagement, stating that discussions of this kind assist the agencies in jointly addressing road infrastructure challenges and fulfilling their mandate of supporting economic growth through well-maintained road networks.
During the meeting, the Road Fund Head of Legal, Risk and Compliance, Mr. Phoka Thene, highlighted persistent compliance issues that have affected some Implementing Agencies over the years. He noted that these challenges often strain working relationships and proposed the introduction of dedicated compliance meetings to strengthen adherence to rules and regulations, thereby enhancing accountability and reliability.
The Head of Engineering, Mr. Tšeliso Polaki, emphasised the importance of timely submissions and reporting. He encouraged Implementing Agencies to submit regular progress reports to enable the Road Fund to remain informed on project status and to respond promptly to enquiries from the public and the Board. He further urged strict compliance with agreed rules and procedures during project implementation.
Representatives of the Implementing Agencies reaffirmed their commitment to complying with all Road Fund requirements and to improving performance where necessary.
The Road Fund continues to prioritise the maintenance of strong relationships with stakeholders at various levels and remains committed to regular engagement with stakeholders at both technical and strategic platforms.
Phumla Moleko (Mrs.)
Head of Corporate Communications
Road Fund
Tel: +266 52016000
Email: molekop@roadfund.org.ls
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