Addis Ababa — The Ethiopian Rural Travel and Transport Programme (ERTTP) discussed rural transport constraints and opted for integrated transport and non-transport intervention to improve economic growth and poverty reduction in rural Ethiopia.

On the 6th ERTTP board meeting held at Addis Ababa Hilton yesterday, ERTTP and the Central Programme Coordinating Board (CPCB) Chairman Professor Mesfin Abebe stressed the importance of rural centred integrated road and transport development in averting the quagmire of poverty. Mesfin further said ERTTP is planning to construct 86,000 km. rural roads within the coming five years.

According to Mesfin restoring and expanding road network, streaming road management network and developing the capacity of domestic construction are the main objectives in rural road sector development.

Speaking on national Road Devleopment and ERTTP, Director General and National ERTTP Coordinator Ato Zaid W/Gebriel said the over all policy objective in plan for accelerated and sustained development to end poverty (PASDEP) is to expand road network by 48,000 km. in the year 2010. Zaid also said existing road network accessibility is scarce in Afar, Somali, North Wollo and West Tigray.

Zaid further said only small parts of Ethiopia are served by modern transport and enhancing community road is one of the approach to expand rural transport deficit, adding, the woreda integrated development plan (WIDP) plays central role in progressing rural road networking.

RTTP programme coordinator Mulugeta Demissie on his part said rural transport problem can be reduced by transport and non-transport focused interventions. According to Mulugeta opening and improving access roads expansion and availing affordable transport means and expansion of domestic socio-economic service needs to be integrated for effecting the programme.

Participants were drawn from the federal and state government bureaux.