Government, donors meet on road sector development

Accra, July 24, GNA - A draft policy on fuel levy, axle load control and arrears would soon be submitted to cabinet for discussion and approval, Dr Richard Anane, Minister for Road and Transport, said on Thursday.

He said the policy, which was being worked on by the sub-committee on infrastructure, would offer government enough avenues to raise revenue to undertake road maintenance projects after huge investment had been made.

Dr Anane was speaking at a meeting with development partners to review the implementation of the road sector development programme in Accra.

The meeting will also seek collective assessment of stakeholders' performance and agree on a common strategy to propel government's infrastructure development programme forward.

He said steps were being taken to revise the road levy law, management of road fund revenues, and engaging the private sector to pre-finance road schemes to reflect the realities of the time. Dr Anane said in line with these policies, government in collaboration with institutions would prepare a multi-sectoral policy document on Build Operate and Transport (BOT).

He said all maintenance programmes within the period of 2003-2005 were being reviewed to ensure that road maintenance programmes synchronized with the maintenance budget allocation.

Dr Anane admitted that supervision and monitoring of road works were not adequate due to lack of logistics and personnel to ensure that projects gave out on contract were executed within specification and scheduled.

He said to rectify this setback government had approved a programme named "out-sourcing of short-term supervision for projects" to minimize cost.

Dr Anane urged development partners to appreciate the steady progress government was making in the execution of development programmes.

"The support and cooperation of development partners are crucial and of fundamental importance to the resolution of issues and sustainable development," he said.

Measures to stop harassment of traders along Volta Lake Togor-Dzemeni, July 24, GNA - The Volta Regional Co-ordinating Council (VRCC) is to liaise with the Eastern Regional Co-ordinating Council to stop alleged harassment of traders and lake transport operators along the Volta Lake and the Afram Plains for non-payment of levies to the Afram Plains District Assembly.

Mr Kofi Dzamesi, Deputy Volta Regional Minister said this during an interaction with representatives of Boat Owners and Fishermen at Tongor-Dzemeni, in the Kpando District on Thursday.

He said reports of armed members of a Task Force from the Afram Plains District intercepting boats on the Lake, seizing outboard motors and wares would be investigated and addressed if found out to be true. Mr Seth Akwensivie, Kpando District Chief Executive (DCE), said he would meet the DCE of the Afram Plains to solve the problem.

Mr Dzamesi later visited all the premix fuel depots in Tongor-Dzemeni and advised the dealers to order fuel through the Regional Premix Fuel Committees to ensure prompt delivery.

The Deputy Minister said local premix committees should be formed to liaise with the Regional Committee to ensure regular supply. He said government would s take delivery of outboard motors, which would be fairly sold at affordable prices to fishermen.

Mr Dzamesi also visited the modern market being constructed in the town under the Village Infrastructure Project (VIP) to known the progress of work. Togbe Tefutor Worwonyo Oko II, Chief of Dzemeni, said demands of high amounts of money on Boat Owners and traders by the Task Force was without basis and amounted to extortion.

He alleged that the task force had seized outboard motors belonging to operators from Dzemeni and deposited them at the Afram Plains District Assembly and also took wares from traders and sold them "at give away prices". Mr Gabriel Attokro, Secretary of the Dzemeni Fishermen's Association, conceded that an attempt made to negotiate levies with the boat owners failed because they (Boat Owners) were unwilling to cooperate. He lamented that the interception of the boats had affected businesses at the Dzemeni market.

Mr Agbodzor Simon Lion said fishermen depend on illegal dealers in premix fuel and sold a gallon of the product at 20,000 cedis instead of 17,000 cedis a gallon whenever there was shortage of fuel.