Malanje — The Minister of State and Head of the Security House of the President of Republic, Francisco Furtado, announced this Thursday the start of rehabilitation works of national roads 160 and 323 ( Kiwaba Nzoji- Cahombo, Cunda Dia Base and Marimba).

The earth moving work on about 200 kilometres of roads, which will take two months, will be carried out by the Military Construction Engineering Brigade.

The minister said that the equipment was already at the site, with the teams working on two fronts: one will work on the diversion from Kiwaba Nzoji to Xiquita, whilst the other will work from Kissua towards Marimba.

"Earthmoving work will be carried out, soil compaction, installation of manacles in critical areas and extraction and improvement of soil in some areas," he said, adding that the work would be carried out in conjunction with the Angolan National Roads Institute (INEA), under the aegis of the Ministry for Construction, Public Works and Urbanism.

According to the government official, this is an emergency job that will be carried out, while funding for the asphalting of the roads is pending.

He clarified that the intervention of the Military Engineering Brigade in those stretches was due to the fact that the process of contracting the works was delayed from the Ministry of Construction, Public Works and Urbanism, hence the Angolan Armed Forces (FAA) had been called upon to intervene in this project.

"They are with some delay due to factors linked to financing and others, because the country has many areas to intervene. There are several works underway on the Luanda/Malanje link with the east of the country, so we are going to make the most of this potential of the armed forces," he said.