Ugunja and Yala town’s ring roads are set to be upgraded to bitumen standards, together with construction of a Maternity Theatre Complex at Yala Sub County Hospital.
Former Prime Minister Raila Amolo Odinga Thursday presided over the groundbreaking of development of the two major infrastructures.
He was flanked byther Siaya Governor James Orengo, Alego Usonga MP Samuel Atandi and his Ugunja counterpart Opiyo Wandayi among other leaders.
Yala Maternity Theatre Complex at Yala Sub-County Hospital, estimated to over cost Sh24 million will enhance the quality of maternal newborns and child health services at the hospital to ensure that women and their newborns remain healthy before, during and after childbirth.
The hospital currently performs 100 deliveries per month, and the new maternity complex will double the hospital’s capacity and provide a state-of-the-art theatre complex complete with theatre space.
The upgrade of Yala and Ugunja towns ring roads to bitumen standards forms part of Orengo’s administration’s bold strategic urbanization agenda of developing Siaya’s urban towns to make them inclusive and friendly for all.
This will in turn spur the county’s sustainable socioeconomic growth through strategic investments, increased productivity and innovation.
The upgrade of the major town’s infrastructure comes shortly after Siaya, Bondo and Ugunja acquired Municipality Charters that enabled them to benefit from the World Bank’s Urban Support Programmes.
The urban infrastructural upgrades will entail construction of asphalt concrete wearing course; the 6-meter-wide carriageway with shoulders of 1 meter either side and walkway, construction of standard pipe culverts and installation of road furniture.
The projects funded by the World Bank also entail the development of drainage systems and soil erosion protection works that will provide for the control of the storm waters in the areas and their environs.
The ring roads in Ugunja and Yala towns will be vital in improving access to the businesses, schools and health facilities that are accessed through those roads.
Yala town upgrade is expected to be completed in 6 months at a cost of over 26 million, while the Ugunja town project will be completed in 8 months costing about Sh 47 million.
By Calvin Otieno
