The Ministry of Urban Development and Infrastructure says road construction targets have fallen short due to a 300–400pc rise in construction material prices. The update came as part of the Ministry’s nine-month performance report presented to Parliament at its 26th regular session. According to the report, only 16 km of existing roads have been strengthened, despite plans to strengthen 12 km and upgrade 234 km. Of the 566.8 km of new expressways planned, just 385 km have been completed. Council members questioned why roads planned as far back as the 1980s remain unfinished, why some newly built roads are deteriorating before use, and why affected residents wait years for compensation. Responding to these concerns, the Ethiopian Roads Administration said many roads are currently under construction, repair, or separation. However, delays in roadwork are also slowing compensation and material supply processes. The Ministry reaffirmed that the steep increase in material costs remains the main factor behind the failure to meet construction targets. In parallel, efforts to improve urban living conditions are ongoing. Through an expanded safety net programme, 597,123 able-bodied citizens in 88 cities have taken part in local development projects. A total of 3.8B Br has also been distributed to 1.18 million citizens in 87 cities.
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