The Use of Road Gangs in Road Maintenance

THE USE OF ROAD GANGS IN ROAD MAINTENANCE: CHALLENGES AND WAY FORWARD

PRESENTED BY:OKUCU ANTHONY TWENY

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ROAD MTCE GANG SYSTEM

• A system where a road maintenance unit employs a regular gang consisting of members who are paid monthly wages.

Background

• For the last 17 years, district and urban road maintanence has been carried out through contracting

• Problems– Systematic– Managerial– RMM entails more than 20 interrelated activities

• Difficult to describe• Difficult to quantify• Difficulty in measurement for payment purposes

Background

• Furthermore:– Only two activities grass cutting and drains

cleaning are attempted– Work is of low quality

• Solution:• Direct Labour Method – Force Account

Maintenance and Rehabilitation

• Modes of road maintenance and road rehabilitation:

a) manual routine maintenance using road gangs;b) mechanized routine maintenance using light

equipment;c) periodic maintenance/re-gravelling using heavy

equipment; andd) rehabilitation and resealing using heavy equipment.

Road Gang System

• Premise– One man-2km per month (gravel roads)– four men -1km of urban tarmac road per month– A headman manages 10 workers – An overseer superintend over a maximum of 5

headmen.– Activities are carried out throughout the year

• Such Tasks are not normally achievable

Stakeholders at Municipal/Town Council Levels

At the Municipal and Town Council level, the main targets are:• The Town Clerks;• The Municipal/Town Engineer and Inspectors of Works;• Finance and Personnel Officers;• Municipal/Urban Council Planners;• The Mayor/Local III Chairperson;• Secretary for Works; and• Members of the Urban Council Works Committee.

Routine Maintenance Types

• Cyclic activities are dependent on environmental (climatic) conditions e.g.:– vegetation control and – drainage cleaning.

• Reactive activities are a response to a combination of traffic and environmental effects e.g.: – filling of potholes – removal of road surface corrugations.

Schedule of Activities

Challenges

• Payments:– The salary of UGX 100,000/= per month is very small

• Tools:– Modalities of procurement for tools demotivate the workers

• Poor SWM:– Disposal of rubbish into the drains

• Working Conditions:– Lack of Motivation– Lack of Safety gears – Scarce Machines e.g. tractors

Poor Solid Waste Management

Drains clogged by solid wastes

Lack of Safety Gears

Possible SolutionsSWM• LEGAL FRAMEWORK• LEGISLATION ON

GARBAGE DISPOSAL• TAX LEVIES

• STAKEHOLDER INVOLVEMENT

• COLLABORATION BETWEEN MAIN COUNCIL AND DIVISIONS

TOOLS • MODE OF PROVISION• QUICK RESPONSE TO

REQUISITIONS• PROPER MGT OF

PROCURED TOOLS

WORKERS MOTIVATION• FINANCIALLY AND • NON-FINANCIALLY

WELL MAINTAINED

ROADS