Uganda - El Nino Emergency Road Repair Project

Report No. PID6765 Project Name Uganda-El Nino Emergency Road (+) Repair Project Project ID UGPE57007 Region Africa Sector Transport Borrower Republic of Uganda Implementing Agency Ministry of Works, Transport, and Communications (MOWTC) Entebbe, Uganda Date the PID Prepared February 27, 1998 Projected Appraisal Date March 30, 1998 Projected Board Date May 14, 1998 Background The proposed project would provide emergency recovery assistance to the Government of Uganda for the restoration and rehabilitation of key road and bridge facilities severely damaged by the flooding, associated with the "El Nino" weather pattern. Besides, it will help restore / rehabilitate Atiak - Moyo road located in one of the more remote and poverty stricken parts of the country. Project Objectives The project aims at: (i) reducing infrastructure-related market and distribution costs countrywide, by reducing road transport costs to their pre- emergency levels; (ii) securing the timely delivery of social services to the affected populations, by restoring accessibility to its pre-emergency level; (iii) facilitating the productive re-settlement of war refugees in Northern Uganda, by restoring and rehabilitating the key Atiak-Moyo road connection from Uganda to neighboring Sudan; and (iv) stabilizing the eco-system near the affected roads by arresting further deterioration of environmental conditions. Project Description The project would consist of the following components: (i) Repair of Damaged Road Sections - The project would provide financing for repairs to be carried out on 96 identified sections of road countrywide, amounting to about 350 km. The works are aimed at restoring to the original condition road sections critically damaged as a result of flooding and the action of traffic loads on the already weakened sections. (ii) Rehabilitation and Regravelling of Atiak-Moyo Road - The works will comprise rehabilitation/regravelling of 92 km of gravel road as well as repairs of five bridges and two ferry crossings. Rehabilitation of this road  was initially envisaged under the IDA-financed Northern Uganda Rehabilitation Project (NURP), Credit No. 2362-UG, but it could not be completed as a result of the difficult security situation prevailing in that part of the country. In the meantime, the Credit reached its closing date. Whereas according to the Government, the security situation in Northern Uganda has since then improved, road condition has experienced accelerated deterioration attributable to the heavy rainfall. (iii) Repair and Replacement of Culverts and Bridges - The project would provide financing for the replacement of culverts and bridges which were completely washed out due to excessive water discharges over prolonged periods of time; and repairs of damaged structures including the protection of bridge abutments, pier foundations, slopes, and culvert/wing walls which were severely affected by the rainfall and putting at risk the structural stability of some 120 bridges. (iv) Engineering Studies and Construction Supervision - Consultant services would be provided under the project for the preparation of feasibility and engineering studies and tender documents, as well for the supervision of the civil works Environmental Aspects Environmental Impact Classification B. The proposed works will be restricted to the restoration of existing facilities to their standard prior to the flooding. The project would also provide the opportunity of repairing environmental damage, resulting from the floods. The designed improvements are not such that would involve new environmental challenges. In any case, an environmental/resettlement assessment will be prepared for the Atiak-Moyo Road by June 1998 Project Implementation The Ministry of Works, Transport and Communications (MOWTC) would have overall responsibility for the implementation of the proposed Project. As an interim measure, Government established a Disaster Management Task Force Unit (DMTFU) under the MOWTC to be responsible for the emergency operations until the RAFU to be established under the IDA-financed Road Sector Institutional Support and Technical Assistance Project, RSISTAP(recently approved by the Board, Report No. P-7116-UG) is operational. After which, project implementation of the emergency project would be transferred to RAFU. The key staff of RAFU will be assigned to three Divisions: (i) the Operations Division, responsible for planning and programming, studies and supervision, and works and supplies will be primarily entrusted with the implementation aspects of the proposed project; (ii) Monitoring and Management Information Systems (MISD); and (iii) Administration which will provide services support to the Operations Division in the monitoring, management information, finance and legal aspects of project implementation. Project Costs and Financing The total cost of the project is estimated at US$30.0 million equivalent, with -2 -  foreign exchange cost requirements totaling about 65t of total costs. The IDA credit of US$27.6 million represents 92t of total project costs, net of taxes and duties. The Government would contribute about US$2.4 million or about 8; of total project costs. The IDA credit would finance 100l of consultant services, goods and equipment and 90- of the civil works. Project Sustainability No major sustainability issues are anticipated for the proposed project in view of its emergency nature. As to the possible recurrence of emergency situations, the provision of bridges and other construction materials under the proposed project will increase MOWTC's capabilities for crisis mitigation. The emergency actions are also being undertaken in coordination with measures being implemented in the context of the Road Sector Development Program (RSDP) to strengthen institutional capacity. Sector-wide sustainability issues, are also being addressed under the ongoing Transport Rehabilitation Project (TRP) and RSISTAP. To address medium-run emergency concerns, an engineering audit will be carried out for the more affected road stretches by the Road Agency Formation Unit (RAFU). Poverty Category Not applicable Lessons Learned from Previous IDA Involvement Experience from past projects in Uganda indicates that the main risk has been limited capacity of the implementation agency, in particular, the ability of the agency to efficiently address problems related to contract management, contract administration, and financial and technical monitoring. There are substantial delays in the processing and awarding of the contracts, thus incurring substantially higher costs at the initial stages of commencement, delayed completion and consequently loss of investment. The lessons from the modest success of technical assistance provided to develop the implementation and planning capacity of MOWTC is that major policy changes need full commitment by Government to ensure success. The success of any effort to improve public agency performance depends on Government willingness to grant it financial and managerial autonomy and that, in the absence of such a commitment, assistance to strengthen such agency is likely to accomplish little. The structure of road administration has been subject to frequent changes during implementation of projects. The result of these changes was confusion, poorly organized planning administration and ineffective long term institutional and staff development. Therefore, main institutional and policy changes, including reorganization and institutional strengthening of road administration, as well as changes in the decision-making process, should be undertaken prior to any major increase in the volume of the road program. Other lessons are that re-evaluation of the engineering design of roads before commencement of the projects, inadequate engineering designs and weak documentation related to substantial changes in the field, delays in the implementation, and cost overruns made major negative impacts on road development to date. The need to develop appropriate monitoring indicators to be used as part of Project implementation has also emerged as an important - 3 -  lesson in fostering policy and strategic reforms. Project Benefits Most of the quantifiable project benefits would ultimately accrue to producers and consumers countrywide with a reduction of transport costs to their pre- emergency levels. This reduction would result from vehicle operating costs savings and the elimination of congestion bottlenecks in the affected sections of Uganda's road network. Further quantifiable savings would accrue to the Government, as a result of deferral of major investments arising from premature deterioration of road condition. Other important benefits, albeit more difficult to quantify, would accrue to the population in the affected areas through the restoration of accessibility to its pre-emergency levels, as well as improve access and facilitate productive activities of war refugees in poverty-stricken Northern Uganda. Project Risks The main project risks would be inadequate implementation capacity of MOWTC, delays in the recruitment of key staff to RAFU and inadequate capacity of local contractors to complete the works on time and effectively. The overall risk is moderate, only in view of the high risk attached to the possible deterioration of the security situation in Northern Uganda where the Atiak- Moyo road is situated. These potential risks have been considered during the inception and design of the project. The appointment of key staff to RAFU is a condition of effectiveness of the IDA-financed Road Sector Institutional Support Technical Assistance Project (RSISTAP). In addition, packaging for procurement of civil works would be matched to the local contractors capabilities. International competitive bidding procedures would be used for more complex works. Contact Point: The InfoShop The World Bank 1818 H Street, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20433 Telephone No. (202)458 5454 Fax No. (202) 522 1500 Note: This is information on an evolving project. Certain activities and/or components may not be included in the final project. Processed by the InfoShop week ending August 21, 1998. - 4 -  Annex Because this is a Category B project, it may be required that the borrower prepare a separate EA report. If a separate EA report is required, once it is prepared and submitted to the Bank, in accordance with OP 4.01, Environmental Assessment, it will be filed as an annex to the Public Information Document (PID) . If no separate EA report is required, the PID will not contain an EA annex; the findings and recommendations of the EA will be reflected in the body of the PID.