Government to construct alternative route to Asikuma junction

The government is to construct a 65.8 Kilometer alternative route stretching from Asutuare junction through Asutuare Township to Asikuma junction which forms part of the eastern corridor road.

The eastern corridor route is a road network that stretches from Tema through the southern part of the Volta Region to the northern part of Ghana.

The new road would have a bridge over the Volta river between Avakpo and Dufor Adidime.

The 147.9 million dollar project, which would also include the improvement of the Asutuare-Aveyime road, would help open up the North Tongu, West Dangbe, Asuogyaman and the Lower Manya area for investment and development.

The project would be funded by the Japanese government.

Speaking at a public forum to present the road designs and results of economic, sociological and ecological surveys on the project to the affected communities, at Asutuare, on Monday, the Minister for Roads and Highways, Mr. Joe Gidisu, said the project would include the rehabilitation of road networks in the affected districts to enhance travelling and also develop trade and employment.

He assured that the government would pay appropriate compensation to all those who would be affected as well as those to be resettled as a result of the project.

Reacting to questions from the press, Mr. Gidisu said all being well, with the completion of the necessary documentation and procurement process the project could take-off by the first quarter of next year.

Earlier, in a welcoming address, Mr. Joseph Atsu Amedzake, of the Ghana Highways Authority (GHA), explained that the damages suffered by the Adomi Bridge as a result of excessive axle load necessitated the development of alternative route to that sector of the eastern corridor that goes through Atimpoku.

He said the government had also identified section of the eastern corridor highway which needed improvement and said the necessary funding had been made available for work to begin on those roads soon.

He said currently, reconstruction work was going on at the Asikuma junction to have and Nkwanta-Oti Damango sections of the corridor and that work would soon commence on the Dodo-Pepesu-Nkwanta section of the road.

The Chief of Asutuare, Nene Michael Tettey Ablorh, expressed the appreciation of the chiefs and people of the area to the government for the project.

He appealed for the rehabilitation of the road between Asutuare and Osudoku and the road between Osudoku and Ningo junction.

He said his area has large tract of land for investment and expressed the hope that the construction of the road would attract the needed investment to the area.

The forum was attended by members of parliament, district chief executives, chiefs and opinion leaders in the affected communities.