Ivory Coast authorities seek local support for Tengréla road project

Local authorities and project coordinators met with residents of Tengréla in Côte d’Ivoire to discuss a plan to pave 12.2 kilometers of urban roads and install rainwater drainage systems.

The meeting served as a review of environmental and social impact studies for the project. Kobenan Dongo Emmanuel, acting on behalf of the prefect, urged the community to participate actively in the process to ensure the infrastructure project improves the local living environment and urban development.

Ourega Alexa, representing the PDDIVS project, explained that the initiative aims to reduce infrastructure gaps between the capital, Abidjan, and inland cities. Civil engineer Kra N’Guessan Avali detailed the technical plan, which involves paving 13 sections across 14 different sites. This work follows technical studies that began in March 2025. Ahoulé Ghislain, representing the firm tasked with the impact study, warned residents about potential risks during construction, such as dust emissions and the presence of arsenic in certain water sources.

He noted that the work should not affect any protected sites. The residents agreed to support the project but asked for guarantees regarding transparency during construction. They specifically requested fair compensation for affected people and the priority hiring of local youth from the surrounding neighborhoods. The project receives funding through an agreement between the Ivorian government and the World Bank.