Shura introduces Afghan members to Ghazni-Gardez Road project

GHAZNI PROVINCE, Afghanistan – Village elders and members of the development council from Deh Yak and Ghazni Provincial Reconstruction Team met in a shura in Deh Yak district, Ghazni province, Afghanistan, March 10.

The PRT introduced International Relief and Development contractors and Community Support Program members to the elders and council, where they explained the benefits of the Ghazni-Gardez Road contract that will link Ghazni City, Ghazni province to Gardez, Paktya province, and improve travel to Pakistan and beyond.  

The project also includes monies to assist in the development of communities within two kilometres of each side of the Ghazni-Gardez Road.

Mike Bois, manager of the contract for the Ghazni-Gardez Road, told the council about the specifics of the road.

“It will be a roadway 11 meters wide, so you’re going to have two-meter shoulders that you can actually have your bikes and your carts on, while the traffic is in the roads,” said Bois. “You should be safe along the shoulder.”

“This is the type of project where a contract will be employing a lot of people, but we cannot build this without your help,” he said to the audience. “The actual construction should be starting around April 1.”

Abdus salam Shinwary, Community Support Program Advisor who has been working on the project, said that the biggest challenges to finish the road were security and weather conditions. 

Security was the biggest problem for us because we couldn’t implement most of the projects, said Shinwary about previous projects. “Another problem was the weather conditions that did not allow us to go the remote areas to implement our activities.”

Despite these challenges, the project is about to get underway and will employ many local Afghans. Zarko Draganic, Community Support Program Leader, said it was very important to hire the local people to build the projects.

“Without local support and involvement, we cannot succeed,” said Draganic. “They are the leaders, they build their country for tomorrow.”