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Chinese company Jiangsu Construction beat six local
and international contractors to win a 415 million
Br project from the Amhara Regional State.
The project involves the construction of a huge
complex in Bahir Dar on a 12ht plot in front of
Martyr’s Monument. The complex includes the regional
president’s office, the regional parliament building
and 15 conference halls and cultural centres. The
parliament building will have a video conferencing
facility and a secret ballot casting system,
expected to cost 50 million Br, according to the
official.
The losing tenders for this project included offers
of 665 million Br and 507.2 million Br by Sprogi of
India and CGC of China. MIDROC Ethiopia had also
offered its tender, but the project went to Jiangsu.
“It will be the basis for the development of
conference tourism in the region,” said an official
at the regional administration.
The design was done by Abba Consult, and telephone
and other IT installations will be carried out by
GCS. Abba Consult has already designed Hope
University College and the Addis Abeba Botanical
Garden, which lies on 700ht.
The construction involves diverting part of the Abay
(Blue Nile) River so that a new smaller river will
circle the complex site before rejoining the main
river. There will be three bridges across the new
river. The impact of this with respect to Nile Basin
countries was discounted by an official at the
Ministry of Water Resources (MoWR).
“The water belongs to Ethiopia, and the purpose is
for tourist views; they can use it,” said Tefera
Beyene, Transboundary Rivers Department head at the
ministry.
The company has now started mobilising machinery to
commence work, according to the official. Jiangsu is
currently constructing the Jimma University
Hospital. It is expected to complete the Bahir Dar
project in three years’ time. |
