The President of the Municipal Administration of Ermera (PAM), José Martinho dos Santos Soares, said that a major road rehabilitation project in Ermera is underway with USD 40 million in funding from the World Bank and the government.
PAM Soares explained that the project forms part of the infrastructure development priority program and has already secured financial approval from the World Bank and the government.
“We are very grateful to the World Bank for supporting the reconstruction of key roads in the Municipality of Ermera, from Gleno to Letefoho and Atsabe. This is an urgent need for the community and for local economic activities,” said Ermera PAM Soares, at CCD, Dili.
He added that the main roads in Ermera have been severely damaged after years of neglect and due to a lack of maintenance, which has made it difficult for communities to move around, access markets, and transport agricultural products from villages to town centres.
“This project is not only focused on vehicles but also considers the safety of the community, students, and the general public,” he said.
He highlighted that affected communities have shown strong support for the road construction as it will improve their lives, and he pledged to ensure strict quality control so the road construction meets standards and will last long term.
World Bank representative David Freedman said that while construction is already underway, the project relies on combined funding.
“This support does not only come from the World Bank but also from the Government of Timor-Leste, 80% from the World Bank and 20% from the state budget. So, it is not solely the World Bank’s support,” he explained.
Meanwhile, Ermera resident Lurdes da Costa expressed deep gratitude, saying the project finally responds to their long-standing concerns.
“We have faced terrible road conditions for too long. Children often fall on the way to school, and it has been very difficult to transport agricultural products to the markets. We are very pleased that this project has finally started. We believe these roads will help us earn a living and send our children to school until they finish,” she said.
She added that the roads have been in poor condition since the Indonesian occupation, and it is only now that the government is going to repair them.“As an Ermera resident, I feel very happy because now we will finally have good roads that will make it easier for us to take our products to sell at the markets,” she said.
