Volta roads have President’s commitment – Minister

Mr Kwesi Amoako Atta, Minister of Roads and Highways has given the assurance that road networks in the Volta Region will be developed within the shortest possible time for rapid socioeconomic development.

He said the President, who had placed special emphasis on road infrastructure and had named 2020 a year of roads, has directed resources towards their completion across the country, with the much anticipated Eastern Corridor road getting its share of attention.

Mr Amoako Attah said this at a press conference in Ho, which forms part of the President’s tour of the Volta and Oti Regions on Tuesday.

He said a total of 40 road projects were ongoing in the region, with another 24 planned projects being dragged through the approval stages, and that when completed, the number of good roads in the Region would increase significantly from the current 33 per cent.

Mr Amoako Atta said the Eastern Corridor super highway remained one of the critical highways in the country, and that the President had directed that it should be completed on time to serve the needs of residents and neighbouring countries.

He lamented the pace of work on the road, and added that government had addressed funding challenges with contractors on the various sections, including the 47 kilometer Dodi Papaso stretch, which was recently completed yet decaying badly.

“The Eastern corridor has taken too long to complete, and it is the determination of the President that the road will be completed before the end of his first term,” the Minister said.

He said work on the 56 kilometer Jasikan to Dodi Papaso stretch, which had never been constructed was currently ongoing after the President directed that it should be funded from the Sino Hydro facility.

“Most contractors have been paid and a number of them who left had returned to site. We are hoping to pay the rest by the end of February,” Mr Amoako Atta added.

He said the Ministry was working on finding a “formidable solution” to challenges, which had slowed work progress on the Asikuma to Hohoe section, and once again gave the assurance that the road would be completed before the President left office.

Mr Amoako Atta also said the Ministry would ensure that work on the 11 kilometer Ho to Sokode dual carriage progressed without interruptions, and that the Ho to Aflao highway would be resealed with bitumen after “intense” repair works by the Mobile Maintenance Unit of the Ghana Highway Authority.

He also revealed that funding had been secured from the African Development Bank for the construction of a bridge over the Volta River at Volivo to ease pressure on the Adomi Bridge, and also said the bridge at Sogakope would be rehabilitated.

“There is a serious President and a serious Government in place, and it is our desire to finish these projects as quickly as possible,” he said.

Source: GNA