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Kandifo Institute has commended the government for completing the Pokuase interchange, hoping the facility lasts for its stipulated period.
It has also encouraged individuals and the government to do their best to keep the interchange neat and functioning.
The Executive Director of the Institute, Palgrave Boakye-Danquah, called on the need for relevant stakeholders to maintain the interchange.
“As citizens, let us all play our part in maintaining our national assets in order to pass it on as an heirloom for generations yet to come,” he said.
Issue of maintenance
In an interview with the Daily Statesman, he noted that Ghana, over the years, had largely faced the issue of maintenance.
Mr Boakye-Danquah further indicated that the citizenry had been indoctrinated to always wait on the government to maintain national assets.
“Unfortunately, most Ghanaians do not pay heed to the English proverb which says ‘a stitch in time, saves nine’. Undoubtedly, maintenance of national properties is the job of the government, but we must remember the Gettysburg Address of the American lawyer, statesman and the 16th president of the United States, Abraham Lincoln, who said: ‘that these dead shall not have died in vain– that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.’ Every single Ghanaian makes up the government of Ghana,” he said.
The Kandifo Institute boss expressed satisfaction that Ghana is the first West African country and the second African country to have a four-tier interchange.
The project
The Pokuase interchange project includes the development of the 6.5-kilometer Awoshie to Pokuase road, an exchange at the convergence of ACP intersection to Awoshie to Nsawam route, two pedestrian bridges, two kilometres of Nsawam road widening, drainage, street lighting, and the construction of 12 kilometers of town roads.
The interchange, which was commissioned by the President cost $94million, out of which $83 million was secured from the African Development Bank, while $11million was taken care of by the government.
Pointers
Mr Boakye-Danquah noted that even though the President admonished the Ministry of Roads and Highways to ensure the maintenance of the facility, this is a national call to all Ghanaians.
To this end, he encouraged the citizenry to desist from posting various banners, posters and flyers on the facility to deface it.
“Also, hawkers should not take over the interchange. These negative actions destroy the beauty of the facility. As the President appealed to the users of the facility, especially drivers, to adhere to the various road safety measures put in place for the safe use of the facility, we must all contribute our quota as Ghanaians to protect the public purse,” he said.
“The Ministry of Roads and Highway, the Greater Accra Regional Minister, Members of Parliament, the various District and Municipal Executives and all others in authority must always remember that they are Ghanaians, and must therefore abide by the oaths sworn during their induction into office,” he added.
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