GHANA VP CUT SOD FOR 145 DIFFERENT ROADS CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS

Ghana Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, spread a shovel of sand at Kwadaso in the Ashanti Region to signal the beginning of the construction of 145 different roads in the Region.

The construction works which cover a total of 100km are under the Kumasi City Inner Roads project and would benefit Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies such as Asokwa, Kwadaso, Oforikrom, New Tafo, Suame, Mampongand Effiduase.

Manhyia, Bantama, Nhyiaeso, and Subin, all sub-metros within the Kumasi Metro, would also benefit from the project

Construction of the Kumasi Inner City roads is part of the Sinohydro Master Project Support Agreement (MPSA), signed in 2018 between the Government of Ghana and the Peoples Republic of Chinato to address the infrastructure challenges in the country.

Under Phase 1 of the Agreement, a total of 441km of roads and two interchanges are to be constructed in Lots.

The new road works complement ongoing construction being undertaken in Kumasi by Contract UK, captured under the Rehabilitation and Auxiliary Infrastructure of Kumasi Inner Ring Road and Adjacent Streets – Phase 1, for which sod was cut in 2019. The project is 96% complete and will be commissioned by the end of the second quarter, according to the contractor.

Speaking at the ceremony, Vice President, Dr. Bawumia reiterated the Government’s commitment to build infrastructure projects and upgrade the existing ones in the country through the Sinohydro Master Project Support Agreement.

“As usual, the critics said the Sinohydro Agreement would never see the light of day. But today we are all witnesses to ongoing works across the country, including many in the Ashanti region. These projects have been programmed to commence in phases and, today, we are witnessing the turn of the Kumasi Inner City roads,” he said

He added that other road projects being undertaken within Kumasi, as well as the Ashanti Region, include the completion of asphalt overlay of 227 km of roads in Kumasi and the Ashanti Region; the Kumasi Roads and Drainage Extension Project, which includes the upgrading of the Lake Road into a dual carriageway.

He said reconstruction of the 30km Anwiankwanta-Obuasi Road is 85% complete while the upgrading of the Dompoase-Aputuogya Road is 80% complete.

“In addition to the Kumasi Inner City Roads, other projects under Phase 1 of the MPSA that are at various stages of completion include Construction of the PTC Interchange in Takoradi, which is the first interchange in the western parts of our country; and upgrading of selected urban roads in Sunyani and Berekum Inner City Roads,” he added.

These projects, which are financed and executed under this Sinohydro Agreement, will go a long way in enhancing intra-urban, regional and national traffic flows, he noted.

He said it would also strengthen regional economic integration through trade and reduce the cost of doing business in Ghana.

On his part, the Minister for Roads and Highways, Mr. Kwasi Amoako-Atta, assured that persons who would be affected by the projects would be adequately compensated.

The project is expected to be completed in 30 months.