ADDIS ABABA-The Ethiopian Toll Road Enterprise announced that it has collected over 204 million Birr revenue from various services with in the past nine months.
After years of loan payment holiday, the government has paid 1.9 billion Birr out of the 11.2 billion total cost of the project, which is set to be paid within 20 years.
In an exclusive interview with The Ethiopian Herald, Enterprise Public Relation and Marketing Director Zahara Mohamed said that the Enterprise has collected the revenue mainly from regular toll payment service, advertisement fee and other sources.
“The Enterprise has been striving to provide better services applying updated technologies and deploying skilled man power, designing projects which enable to achieve swift traffic flow and ensure road safety, she said adding that the enterprise has finalized preparation to receive the Dire Dawa-Dewole Toll Road which is expected to be operational soon.”
She further stated that the enterprise said that the Addis-Adama Express Way generates 800,000 Birr revenue by providing service for over 24,000 vehicles per day. Thus, ever since it started operation the enterprise has been striving to effectively collect revenues and return the loan financed for the road. Presently, the enterprise has made tariff increments, she added.
The enterprise has finalized its preparation to receive and administer Diredawa-Dewolle Toll Road Project which will start operation soon.
Zahara insisted that though the enterprise has been utilizing technologies and establishing effecting communication system, yet it has faced casualty and property damage.
Ethiopian Toll road Enterprise was established in 2014 to manage, operate and maintain federal toll roads in Ethiopia. It is one of the mega projects Ethiopia completed in the first Growth and Transformation Plan.
The Ethiopian Herald June 6, 2019
BY LAKACHEW ATINAFU
