Transport Principal Secretary Irungu Nyakera said 20 per cent of the work has been done and the government will allocate Sh10 billion to the port project in the next financial year.

 

He said the government has already paid Sh4.6 billion to the contractor while another Sh2.9 billion would be paid before the end of this year.

 

The PS said the project would cost the exchequer a total of Sh48 billion.

 

"We expect the construction of the first berth of the Lamu port to be completed by June 2018," he said.

 

In an interview with the Nation in Mombasa, Mr Nyakera said building of the second and third berths are expected to be completed in 2019 and 2020 respectively.

 

"The government is determined to complete the construction of a second port in Lamu to supplement the port of Mombasa," he said.

 

Apart from the construction of the three berths, other work going on concurrently include dredging of the channel, land reclamation, the building of a cofferdam and a causeway.

 

He noted that the Lamu Port South Sudan Ethiopia Transport (Lapsset) is one of the key projects the government was implementing to boost trade between Kenya and neighbouring countries of Ethiopia and South Sudan.

 

"Lamu port, will not only offer services to the country but also to landlocked countries of Ethiopia and South Sudan," he said.

 

Mr Nyakera said the government has also set aside Sh10 billion for the construction of the Lamu-Witu-Garsen road.

 

The PS said the 132-kilometer road would play a role in the transportation of goods and people between Lamu and Mombasa counties

 

He said the government is also constructing a nine kilometre road to connect the Sh200 billion coal powered plant at Kwasasi to the Lamu port.

 

The coal power project, he added, would generate 1,050 megawatts and supplement power supply to the port through the national grid.

Source : allafrica.com