Vice-President Mahamudu Bawumia cuts sod for new road projects
Vice-President Mahamudu Bawumia has commissioned a number of completed road projects within the Nyinahin Bauxite Enclave, captured as Upgrading of Selected Feeder Roads in the Ashanti and Western Regions under Lot 8 of the Sinohydro Master Project Support Agreement (MPSA).
The completion of the projects, three months ahead of the planned 30 months, has improved accessibility within the Atwima Mponua District of the Ashanti Region and Anansu in the Western North Region, and forms part of preparatory works for the massive revival of bauxite mining in the enclave.
According to the Vice-President, other projects under the various Lots, such as the Tamale Interchange (Lot 3), Upgrading of Selected Roads in Western Region and Cape Coast (Lot 7), and Rehabilitation of the Hohoe-Jasikan-Dodo-Pepesu Road, all part of the Eastern Corridor Road Network (Lot 10), have reached advanced levels. They are expected to be commissioned by the second quarter of 2022.
Dr Bawumia conveyed the appreciation of the Government and people of Ghana to the Government of the People’s Republic of China for their continued support to Ghana’s infrastructure development efforts.
Kumasi Inner City roads
In a related development, the Vice-President cut the sod for work to commence on the Kumasi Inner City Roads Project at Asuoyeboa, in the Kwadaso Municipality.
Speaking at a short ceremony, Dr Bawumia disclosed that the project would include upgrading of 100 kilometres of road network within Kumasi, Kwadaso, Bantama, Suame, Tafo-Pankrono, Asokwa, Oforikrom, Subin, Nhyiaeso, Manhyia, Asante-Mampong, Effiduase and Asokore.
According to him, the Akufo-Addo government is poised at breaking infrastructural barriers, stressing “this is an indication of government’s resolve to expand the country’s road infrastructure as well as bring it to appreciable standards”.
“We are delivering on our campaign promises to make life comfortable for the citizenry. It is our belief and hope that the construction of roads such as these would help reduce the travel times within the Greater Kumasi area and help businesses to thrive smoothly,” he said.
The Vice-President also recounted that the last four years had seen a greater percentage of work done on rehabilitation of roads across the country.
He therefore urged the people to keep faith alive in the government as it works to meet the development expectations of all and sundry.
The Kumasi Inner City Roads Project is part of the Master Project Support Agreement (MPSA) between the Governments of Ghana and China, through the Sino Hydro Corporation.
It is therefore one of the 10 Lots under the first phase of the MPSA, which involves the construction of two interchanges and construction/rehabilitation of 441 kilometres of road network and expected to be completed within 30 months.
The Minister of Roads and Highways, Kwasi Amoako-Atta, said the project includes drainage works, earthworks and bituminous surfacing.
He said traffic lights and other road furniture such as traffic signs, crash barriers and road line markings would also be provided to improve the safety of commuters along the project corridors.
Mr Amoako-Atta added that the Department of Urban Roads would be the supervising agency for the Ministry while Messrs Sino Hydro Corporation would undertake the construction.
Propaganda
Meanwhile, the Economic Advisor and Spokesperson of the Vice-President, Dr. Gideon Boako, has advised the general public not to fall for the propaganda that the 100km of roads Vice- President Bawumia cut sod for construction in Kumasi in 2019 is the same as the new 100km Kumasi inner city roads under the Sinohydro facility he cut sod for on Friday.
According to Dr Boako, the 2019 ones are about 96% complete, and will be commissioned next month, adding that the Ministry of Roads and Highways had compiled a list of completed projects from 2017 to 2020, and anyone can peruse that data to get informed.
“The 100km of roads the Vice-President cut sod for in 2019, almost completed, are on the list of the Ministry. These include Suame 12.04 kilometres, New Tafo; 8.97 kilometres, Manhyia; 8.97 kilometres, Bantama; 3.22 kilometres, Kwadaso; 11.49 kilometres, Subin; 13.27 kilometres, Oforikrom; 10.62 kilometres, Nhyiaeso; 10.16 kilometres, Asokwa; 11.25 kilometres, among others,” he listed.
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