Nicholas O’Dwyer, an Irish engineering consultancy firm has signed a US $11m contract to carry out work on the US $1.2Bn Lusaka to Ndola road in Zambia. The company is tasked with carrying out the design review, technical and financial supervision of the project. Consequently, the contract is projected to create 30 job opportunities at the firm.
According to the firm’s managing director Richard Crowe, the project will upgrade a vital link for the Zambian economy. This because the road connects the capital Lusaka to the country’s copper belt in the North.
For decades now, Copper mining has been the major economic contributor in Zambia. This, in turn, has resulted in the country being one of the largest producers of copper in the world.
Mr. Crowe said that the contract marks a major step for the company towards the realization of its international operations and growth strategy. The contract is one among many other infrastructural projects that the firm has undertaken in the country. He was also quick to acknowledge the support of the government of Zambia through both the Department of Foreign Affairs and Enterprise Ireland.
The project, is expected to take approximately 4 years to reach completion. It will entail the construction of a 350km dual carriageway, as well as some significant supplementary infrastructure.
Ciaran Cannon, the Minister of State for the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade congratulated the company for the win. He further added that international agreements such as this help place Irish companies on a global map.
Founded in 1932, Nicholas O’Dwyer is a global firm with operations that involve civil and structural engineering work for Government as well as State Organizations. They focus on donor-funded development projects in the fields of water supply, pollution control, highways and bridges on the international front.
