Risk Prevention and Management in Public Investment Projects: A Case of Teturi Road And Bridge Construction Project in the Democratic Republic of Congo
Keywords:
Risk, Public Investment, Risk Management, Public Sector, Teturi Road and Bridge, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)Abstract
Anticipating and knowing how to manage risks spares an organisation or project from disasters and dangers, loss of productivity and increased administrative burdens, and unfortunate legal disputes. The study examined the prevention and risk management of the collapsed 50m-long Teturi bridge construction project on the Mambasa road, an agricultural service road and an economic lifeline in Ituri province, Democratic Republic of Congo. Although the collapse of the Teturi Bridge disappointed many people, fewer were interested in knowing the real causes of the collapse. This work further discusses the consequences of a lack or poor assessment of risks and uncertainties in the design and execution of public investment projects. To obtain the necessary information, those responsible for the execution of the project were interviewed. The study found that the committee responsible for the execution of the project did not take sufficient time to prevent and thoroughly assess the possible risks that confronted the project. There was also no intentionality in coming up with mitigating measures for possible risk. The study also makes relevant recommendations on public investment projects’ risk prevention and management.