Highway development projects will provide jobs for residents – McCoy

In light of several major developmental projects that are currently underway throughout various parts of the Soesdyke-Linden Highway Minister within the Office of the Prime Minister with Responsibility for Public Affairs and Information, Kwame McCoy highlighted that a number of job opportunities among other benefits will now be available for residents who live in several villages lining the highway.

McCoy made this highlight during a recent engagement with residents from Circuitville Yarrowkabra, along the Soesdyke-Linden Highway for their Heritage Day celebrations. Whilst interacting with residents, the minister reaffirmed the government’s commitment towards developing every area of the country.
He said, “your government continues to be a government that focuses on the development of citizens, right here on the highway you have seen a lot of work ongoing in relation to brining the Soesdyke-linden Highway in the limelight of the development trajectory that our country is on.”
In this regard the minister highlighted the numerous government-led projects that are currently being undertaken in the area, one such project is the reconstruction of the decades-year-old Soesdyke-Linden Highway, for which a multimillion-dollar contract has already been awarded. He added that these projects will provide numerous job opportunities which will positively impact the lives of the residents.
“You only a few weeks ago witnessed us sign the contract for the reconstruction of the Soesdyke-linden Highway in that project you will have people along the Soesdyke-linden Highway who will be able to grab at job opportunities. Right not too far from here you have the Silica City Project and right across the highway you have seen and will see numerous development projects that will all go towards the enchantment and beautification of this corridor creating more jobs and also opportunities for small businesses,” he added.
McCoy also spoke of another critical initiative that targets employment, which is the government’s 500 Homestead Project. This focuses on providing empowerment to women, particularly single mothers, through agriculture.
“You have heard us speak about our 500 Homestead Project for single mothers where this project will cater for our women and will have an agricultural component from which single mothers will be able to earn by growing crops that will be part of the food production chain,” he stated.
Meanwhile, upgrading the Soesdyke-Linden Highway involves the rehabilitation and reconstruction of 73 kilometres of the road, with two lanes undivided, nine bridges, and six culverts with improved design, quality, and standards. It also includes ancillary works and road corridor improvements providing essential public administration support, and improved connectivity with communities, and roadside and other facilities.
The scope of work also entails milling of existing asphalt surface course, application of varying pavement structures above the milled sections of pavement inclusive of asphalt, sand asphalt, and sub-base; full-depth pavement reconstruction in certain sections, construction of two roundabouts along the alignment, sidewalks extension to nine multi-span bridges, drainage work, and utility relocation, and installation of roadway lighting.