Posted on August 20, 2024
Australian company Hall Contracting Ltd has been enlisted for the dredging of the Ba River.
This has been confirmed by Minister for Housing and Local Government Maciu Nalumisa.
“I am pleased to share that the Ministry of Agriculture and Waterways has engaged Hall Contracting Ltd for a critical dredging project at the Ba River,” Mr Nalumisa said in Ba last week.
“Work will begin very soon. It’s important to acknowledge a challenge that has long affected Ba’s growth — constant flooding.”
Flooding has been a persistent problem in Ba Town, affecting businesses and farmers alike, and Mr Nalumisa stressed these frequent floods had not only disrupted lives, but also stunted economic progress and opportunities.
“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.”
Mr Nalumisa said the project involved dredging a 3.6-kilometer stretch from the Ba River mouth to the open sea and removing 300,000 cubic meters of silt.
“These 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 including Govind Park.”
