PAKTYA PROVINCE, Afghanistan –Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan officials, in partnership with the Paktya Provincial Reconstruction Team, did much to bridge the distance between two key villages in Paktya province, Afghanistan, Aug. 28.
Members of Paktya PRT engineer and civil affairs teams met with Chief Din Mohammad, the Afghan National Police District chief at the Waze Zadran District Center to discuss security and development, and to conduct a quality check on a cable suspension bridge.
“Check points have been established to deter corruption in the area,” Mohammad said. “Corruption was a problem in the past, but now with increased training, the police understand it is unacceptable to take bribes.”
Currently, the Afghan National Police employs more than 40 individuals in the area.
The ANP chief also talked about the recent bridge construction, and welcomed the engineers to conduct a quality assurance check following the meeting.
Bridges and roadways improve access to schools, medical clinics and bazaars. They also allow the government to provide services more rapidly to the villagers, said Mohammad.
PRT and GIRoA engineers inspect projects regularly throughout construction and at critical points in the construction timeline. The district government lobbied for the bridge project to improve access to government-provided facilities.
The 50-meter suspension bridge opened July 19 and connects the north and south side of a wadi, or river bed, thus allowing access to the district center, clinic, schools, bazaar and nearby major highway.
“The bridge reduces and eliminates injuries associated with drowning and increases access to government facilities,” U.S. Air Force Capt. Tyler Johnson, Paktya PRT civil engineer from San Antonio said. “Villagers used to balance on a log to cross the wadi, now they have a much safer way.”
The Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan takes the leading role on all development projects, and places checks and balances to ensure needs of the Afghan people are met with each project.
“People here are very happy with the bridge,” Sadra Zam, a Waze Zadran resident, said to Johnson during the inspection. “Before it was built, foot travel was difficult and at times, impossible during floods.”
The bridge benefits individuals travelling from the villages of Bara Waze, Ghorka Kalay, Ghorke Koleh and Sorna to the Waze Zadran District Center.
The contract required local Afghan workers to construct the bridge through an Afghan-owned company.
The Paktya PRT is comprised of Joint Expeditionary Tasked (JET) Airmen from diverse Air Force specialties. The disciplines include civil engineering, information operations, communications, medical, intelligence, security forces, supply, vehicle maintenance, services and public affairs personnel. Army personnel in the PRT include specialists in civil affairs, logistics, operations and infantry.
| Date Taken: | 09.05.2011 |
| Date Posted: | 09.05.2011 21:49 |
| Story ID: | 76483 |
| Location: | PAKTYA PROVINCE, AF |
| Web Views: | 108 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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