In the heart of the Democratic Republic of Congo, in the commune of Matete, Tshilombo and Lunionzo streets are the subject of an unprecedented controversy. According to a recent report by the Centre for Research in Public Finance and Local Development (CREFDL), the government has allocated up to $3 million for infrastructure projects that turned out to be ghost roads.
The residents of Matete are adamant: Tshilombo is just a bus stop and Lunionzo is the name of a hospital. These revelations highlight suspicious practices of financing non-existent projects, as well as cases of double awarding of contracts to different service providers for the same project.
Faced with these accusations, the director of the Roads and Drainage Office (OVD), Victor Tumba Tshikela, defends the existence of the controversial avenues in the ABC Consortium contract. According to him, Tshilombo and Lunionzo are indeed in the Malandi district of Matete, thus contradicting the conclusions of the CREFDL.
The reaction of the actors involved in this case is diametrically opposed: on the one hand, the CREFDL points out alleged embezzlement of funds, on the other, the OVD insists that the report is riddled with errors and inaccurate figures. This controversy reveals flaws in the management of public funds and infrastructure projects in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
For Valery Madianga, Director General of the CREFDL, transparency and accountability must be at the heart of government actions to avoid such scandals in the future. Augustin Mulumba, national deputy and UDPS executive, calls for a thorough investigation to elucidate these suspicions of embezzlement.
As for Dr. Julius Elumba, expert trainer in project planning and management, public and private procurement, he emphasizes the importance of better supervision of infrastructure projects to ensure the proper use of public funds and avoid abuses.
Ultimately, this case of ghost roads in Matete raises crucial questions about the management of public funds and calls for increased vigilance to prevent any misappropriation of funds in the future. Light must be shed on these dubious practices in order to ensure the development and well-being of Congolese citizens.