Ba River Bridge

The Ba River will undergo a 3.6km dredging project.

This was revealed by the Minister for Local Government, Maciu Nalumisa, who states that the work will start soon.

Nalumisa says the Ministry of Agriculture and Waterways has engaged Hall Contracting, who will dredge from the Ba River mouth to the open sea and remove 300,000 cubic meters of silt.

“It is important to acknowledge the challenge that has long affected Ba’s growth, which is constant flooding. I remember the last time we had a brief with the corporate bodies as well as the Ba Chamber of Commerce. I was told that this issue has been here for more than 40 years and it’s something that the government of the day needs to consider as well as come up with ideas on how we can address the issue of flooding in Ba.”

Ba River Bridge

Nalumisa stresses that this has not only disrupted lives but also hindered economic progress and opportunities.

The Minister says the frequent floods are largely due to the significant build-up of silt in the Ba River, which has reduced its water discharge capacity to nearly half of what it once was.

Nalumisa adds that these dredging efforts will significantly improve the river’s capacity to discharge excess water, helping to protect Ba Town and surrounding communities from future floods and paving the way for uninterrupted development.