Infrastructure Governance: The Effects of Poor Sectoral-Coordination among Infrastructure Sectors of Addis Ababa (The Case of Road and Light Rail Construction Projects)

Abstract

Proper coordination among road authorities and utility service providers in urban infrastructure development plays an important role in determining the quality of urban infrastructure service delivery and residents' quality of life. However, urban infrastructure development in the developing world is often subjected to haphazard planning, disjointed implementation, and poor post-installation management. This is also true for the Ethiopian urban centers which are characterized by, among others, poor inter-sectoral coordination among infrastructure service providers that has posed several of challenges and inconveniences to the residents of the city. This study investigated the effects of poor sectoral coordination among infrastructure service providers of Addis Ababa aiming to show the magnitude of its consequences. In doing so, the study selected two active railway and road construction projects and collected data from Addis Ababa utility service providers and road and railway authority as well as businesses, institutions, and households located in the two project areas. The research ascertained that the effects of poor coordination among the infrastructure sectors of Addis Ababa are severe to the point of leading businesses to bankruptcy, putting residents' lives in danger and causing long term negative psychological attitude towards infrastructure development projects which will have a long-term dominos effect on the economic, physical and social development of the city and the nation at large. Both utility service providers and the road authority have failed to ensure the safety of residents and their properties, deliver quality service, manage their discrepancies, and meet residents' basic demands. This calls for due attention and urgent action from concerned authorities and corporations besides policymakers.