The trunk road network in Mozambique is going to be leased by the Mozambican government to private operators by the end of 2014.

This has been announced by the Mozambican Minister of Public Works, Cadmiel Muthemba, at a meeting of the Coordinating Council of his Ministry.

The east African country has only one toll road – the Maputo-South Africa motorway, operated by the South African company, Trans Africa Concessions (TRAC).

But according to the ministry if the government has its way, private operators will erect toll bridges on several major roads, including the main north-south highway from Marracuene, just outside Maputo, to Lindela in Inhambane province; from the northern city of Nampula to the port of Nacala; and from Vanduzi to Changara, between Manica and Tete provinces.

Muthemba says, “The road sector faced difficulties which could only be overcome with the involvement of private business.”

The minister wants to develop public-private partnerships, but with the exclusive participation of Mozambican rather than foreign companies, and based on the concept of the user pays.

Source: allAfrica.com