The Interprovincial Passenger Transport company, Maning Nice, based in the city of Nampula, announced last week that it was suspending its activities for a period of one year, due to the deterioration of National Road Number 1 (EN1).

"The management of the company Maning Nice, Lda, represented by the managing partner Bakari Shemwaliko, hereby informs you that, due to the deterioration of the EN1, it is suspending activities on the routes Nampula/Maputo, Nampula/Sofala, Nampula/Sofala, Nampula/Manica, Nampula/Zambézia, Nampula/Tete and Nampula/Niassa," reads a statement issued on May 4.

In addition to the degradation, Maning Nice claims that the flow of passengers is low, which makes it difficult to make a return on the business, since a large part of the revenue goes on maintaining the buses, leaving the company unable to honor its bank obligations and those of its workers.

"Accordingly, the company, through its managing partner, hereby announces that, as of May 4, 2023, it will stop its activities throughout the country for a period of one year, starting from the date of publication of this press release," the document concludes.

The EN1 is not only a pain in the ass for passenger and freight carriers and tourists, as well as private motorists, but also for the government. To solve the problem, the Executive has been seeking funding for the rehabilitation of the main road linking the country from north to south. At the end of last year, the government announced the mobilization of 400 million USD in funding from the World Bank for this purpose.

Last January, the President of the Republic announced further funding from the United Arab Emirates, amounting to 800 million USD. However, not all of the money will be used for the EN1 rehabilitation. (Letter)