KARIBIB: The rehabilitated Trunk Road 7/1 between Okahandja and Karibib was officially declared open here on Tuesday by Minister of Works and Transport Erkki Nghimtina.

The 112 kilometre (km) road was rehabilitated at a cost of N.dollars 424 million.

The rehabilitation work was done in two phases, with work starting in February 2008 and completed this month. It involved the widening of the road.

Nghimtina stated on Tuesday that the road contributes immensely to the local economy and to the economy of other Southern African Development Community (SADC) Member States as it forms part of the Trans-Kalahari Highway and the SADC Regional Trunk Road Network’s Route 40.

“Roads not only play a vital role in facilitating the import and export of goods, but also provide easy access to government services such as medical care, education and other facilities around the country,” the minister said, before adding that the road forms part of the B2 road to the coast which connects the harbour of Walvis Bay, the tourist centre of Swakopmund, amongst a number of places.

Meanwhile, Erongo Regional Governor Cleophas Mutjavikua applauded Nghimtina for his ministry’s administration of the national road network.

The work on the road was carried out by China Henan International Cooperation Group and a joint venture made up of contractors Nexus Civil and Namibia Construction.

A total of 160 Namibians were employed during the rehabilitation of the road.